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arcsimper5 · 1 year ago

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Omg omg so...

I am IN LOVE with Martyrs and Kings by the amazing @dystopicjumpsuit, it is such a perfect fic, Maree is a beautiful and wonderful OC and the entire thing is just perfection! (link here, if you haven't read it, please, please do, your life will be better for it).

And I recently had an idea for a one shot spin off (following on from the most recent addition, the Halloween special of Martyrs and Kings AND ZOMBIES which is also amazing and should be read!) and approached the amazing author to ask if I could write it, and the below is the result!

It ended up a lot longer than I thought it would, but I hope you all enjoy it, and thank you again to the amazing @dystopicjumpsuit for allowing me this opportunity!

Without further ado, I present:

Marching On

Post Stasis!Kix x Maree (OC)

Rating: Mature (mentions of death, grief, memory loss/dementia, major character death, swearing, minor threat)

Warnings: this is ANGST IN PURE FORM. I cried writing this. You may cry reading this. I apologise.

Summary: Kix gets the chance for closure at long last, though it may come from an unexpected source.

A soft humming stirred Kix from his sleep, an annoyed groan leaving his lips as the soft light of Maree’s lamp flooded his vision, his eyes fluttering against it. Burying his head under the covers, he frowned at the gentle laugh she let out, one of her hands coming to rest on his head over the covers, fingers drumming softly.

“Good morning to you too,” she chuckled softly, Kix responding with another annoyed grunt.

“W’s the time?” he murmured thickly, daring to peek over the duvet, wincing again at the light.

“Early,” Maree sighed, her other hand occupied with a datapad, bottom lip worried between her teeth as she scrolled through one of the documents. “Go back to sleep if you want, love.”

Kix sighed deeply, resigning himself to being awake as he shuffled up against the metal headboard of their bed, blinking the remaining sleep from his eyes. Tucking the covers under his arms, he let out another sigh, shuffling closer to Maree and slinging an arm over her waist, just above the barely there swell of her stomach.

Still feeling nauseous?” he asked softly, fingers moving to trace the beginnings of her bump through her nightdress, the sensation drawing a fond smile to her lips.

“Not too bad,” she admitted, “got woken up by a comm and kind of got caught up in some research.”

“Hmm?” Kix hummed curiously, “What kind?”

Maree let out another sigh, one that morphed into a yawn, her body pressed against Kix’s warmth as he pulled her closer, peering at the datapad.

“Could be something, could be nothing,” she murmured, the hesitation in her voice giving Kix pause, “but it’s interesting nonetheless.”

Grunting, Kix sat up a little more, opening his arms and drawing Maree onto his chest, relishing in her smile as she accepted the offer gratefully, pressing a kiss to his exposed sternum as she shifted, practically curling up in his lap.

“Let’s hear what’s got my love all caught up at…” he glanced at the time, “kriffing hells, cyare, what happened to our lay in?”

“Sorry, love,” Maree giggled, pressing another kiss to his chin in apology before scrolling back to the start of the report, images and text flashing by. “You remember when we were at the archives on Coruscant and you mentioned Clone Force 99, and the child they took with them when they defected?”

Kix stiffened a tiny bit before drawing in a deep breath, nodding as he processed her words.

Waiting until she was sure he was okay for her to continue, Maree dragged another soft kiss over the stubble on his chin, silently reassuring him until he nodded gently, ready for what came next.

“Well I really was fascinated by it, the whole squad, in fact. And the child… Well it seems that she may have been an unaltered clone, similar to Boba Fett. And yet, the records of her are sparse at best. She may have been held at a secure Imperial compound for some time, Mount Tantiss, but the only records that exist on that are ones relating to a clean up operation after an attack by the Rebellion.”

Kix’s interest piqued as he saw the reports listing a few CT numbers he recognised, hovering his hand over the pad, asking silent permission. Maree handed it over without hesitation, watching cautiously as he scrolled slowly, his breath hitching.

“Rex was there,” he mumbled, his throat constricting a little, “and Gregor… kriff, I think I only met him once at 79’s. He was a Commando. Echo… that’s no surprise, he was loyal to Rex, wherever he went, Echo would have followed…”

He continued reading, frowning at the redacted details.

“It says the rebellion stole some ‘assets’. What could that mean?”

Maree sighed deeply, sitting up a little more, one of her hands moving to thread through Kix’s hair as he continued to read.

“Clones, probably,” she murmured, the sadness in her tone not lost on Kix. “After the rise of the Empire, the clone army was slowly decommissioned. A lot of them went AWOL, others were taken to train TK troopers, their replacements, but most just… disappeared. It was like they just vanished. A handful were officially retired, but the records end after that.”

“Kriffing hells…”

Kix’s face was contorted with anger, Maree tugging his hair a little, keeping him in the moment.

Over the months they’d spent together, she’d come to know his tells, the way he moved and reacted when things got overwhelming for him.

The motion kept him grounded, his lips parting to draw in a sharp breath, hands trembling as he handed back the datapad.

“You okay?” she questioned gently, Kix nodding a little too fast. It was easy to forget that what was history for her could so easily have been Kix’s life.

“I… I will be,” he breathed, giving her waist a small squeeze. “Knowing Rex was there, actively fighting… I guess part of me wishes I had been too.”

Maree’s chest constricted, Kix leaning down to give her a reassuring kiss.

“Though I can’t say I’m sad to have been bought here, to you.”

The reminder was pointed, Maree smiling as she met his lips, more grateful than ever of his thoughtfulness.

“I love you,” she smiled softly, Kix returning the gesture, dark brown eyes sparkling with adoration when he met her gaze.

“And I love you. Forever.”

Maree giggled softly, pressing another kiss to Kix’s head as she drew the datapad out of his hands, scrolling down a little more.

“So, as well as all this, I had Brosna take on a little research project, and he got a hit on an outer rim planet. It seems that the child Clone Force 99 took with them when they defected, might still be alive. And if she truly is an unaltered clone…”

Kix took a moment to process, his heart skipping a beat.

“She’d biologically be my sister.”

The realisation sent him reeling. Since the moment he’d come round from his stasis sickness, he’d resigned himself to being alone. His brothers were all long dead, every connection broken and shattered by the Empire’s time in power.

And yet now… Now he had Maree, a child of his own on his way, and a genetic sister.

“I want to meet her,” he decided aloud, eyes stinging with unshed tears as he met Maree’s gaze, his hand absent-mindedly running over her stomach. “I want… I want to meet her. If she was with Clone Force 99, with Rex? She might know more about what happened. She would have known Echo. I… I might be able to get some answers.”

Maree hesitated for a moment, caught between the comfort of Kix’s hand on her stomach, gently rubbing over the swollen flesh, and the distress in his voice. She remembered all too keenly what had happened after the revelation around Jesse’s fate back on Coruscant, barely suppressing a shiver at the memory of him leaving in the middle of the night.

Dropping her datapad to the bed, she laced her hands with his, taking a deep breath before leaning in, brushing her lips over his, nodding slowly.

“Kix…. Love… I… I just don’t want you getting too invested in this. We don’t know what she’ll be like, or how old she is. There might not be… well… she might be older than we think. She might not remember…”

She sighed, squeezing his fingers, unable to meet his intense gaze even as she felt it boring into her.

“I don’t want you to get hurt. I couldn’t… It’s selfish, but I… I don’t think I could cope with you leaving again. Not now. Not when…”

She didn’t even realise tears were leaking from her eyes until one ran down her chin, dripping heavily onto the back of her hand where it laid, interlaced with Kix’s over her stomach.

Wiping her face furiously, she felt shame and sadness run over her, shaking her head.

“Maker, I’m sorry,” she sniffed, blinking away more tears, “it’s these damn hormones, and…”

“Maree…”

The call of her name finally brought her gaze back to meet Kix’s, his eyes searching hers as he turned her towards him, sinking down until he was face to face with her once more, his free hand moving to cup her face. As his thumb ran over her cheek, swiping away the trail of tears, she forced a weak smile, one he returned.

“I am not leaving you ever again,” he reassured her firmly, taking a shuddering breath as he leaned forward, pressing their foreheads together. It was an intimate action she had become used to, a sign of affection used by clone troopers and Mandalorians, lost to time until now, and every time it happened, she felt a pleasant shiver run through her. “Especially not now,” he finally continued, closing his eyes.

His own tears were falling now, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard.

“I would never risk this, us, for anything. I just… I need to know. I want to… to say goodbye. As ridiculous as it may sound.”

“It’s not ridiculous at all,” Maree reassured him thickly, tilting her head to brush their lips together once again, “and I will not pretend I even begin to understand what you’ve been through. But if this will help you… If this is what you want? We’ll go. I’ll get the coordinates, and we’ll go.”

“Thank you.”

It was little more than a whisper, but those two words held so much pain, so much hope, so much longing, that it caused Maree’s heart to constrict again.

“There’s still a few more hours until the day-cycle starts,” she breathed, kissing him lightly once again, tossing her datapad onto the floor beside the bed as she snuggled back into Kix’s hold, relishing his scent. “Let’s get some more sleep.”

“Now there’s a plan,” Kix smiled softly, dropping a kiss to the top of her head, his hand still laced with hers over her stomach as they drew the duvet back over themselves, cocooning their bodies off from the world once again. “I love you.”

“Love you,” Maree yawned, giggling as Kix kissed her nose, contentment and warmth surrounding her as they drifted back to sleep, a thousand possibilities of what their next step would bring dancing through their minds.

*-*-*

Pabu was beautiful, Maree decided very quickly upon disembarking the Stinger.

After very little persuading (and only a little arguing), Kix and Maree had embarked on their fact finding mission with Reveth, Quiggold and Ithano in tow, insistent they tag along in case of any ‘unwanted attention’, and definitely not for the fact that one of the main attractions of the island was the perfect weather cycles.

That had definitely not piqued the crew’s interest. And Reveth had definitely not bought her bathing suit.

Fortunately, the moment they exited the ship, the demeanour of everyone changed for the better, Kix grinning as he looked around at his shipmates.

Quiggold had shed his omnipresent cloak the moment the sun had hit his skin, the humidity from the ocean surrounding the picturesque town soaking into him, his energy higher than any of them could ever remember it being.

“What a delightful place!” he remarked happily, inhaling the salty scent of the sea as he stood clad in his shirt and shorts, feet twisting onto the ground as if feeling the rhythm of the waves. “I must visit the beach! It’s been far too long since I’ve indulged in a salt scrub.”

“Don’t go traumatising anyone, will ya?” Reveth chuckled, though the awe in her eyes as she looked up at the massive tower behind where their shuttle had landed was undeniable. “What do ya think is in there?” she breathed, almost to herself. “Something valuable, I’d bet!”

“Try not to tick off the locals before we’ve even left the landing pad, Rev,” Kix pleaded teasingly, the twi’lek rolling her eyes and mock saluting.

“Like I would,” she huffed, “I’m a charmer, me.”

Ithano let out a soft huff of laughter, Kix staring for a moment before shaking his head again, looking back to Maree, his breath catching in his throat as he went to speak.

The sunlight filtering through the massive tree above them danced over her, illuminating her hair and features, the effect almost angelic. Wide eyed, she glanced around the square, her simple white blouse and loose khaki cargo pants perfect for the weather, which she seemed to be positively basking in. As she closed her eyes and took a deep breath of fresh air, Kix swore he fell in love all over again, the gentle slide of her hand over her bump, a seemingly unconscious action making his heart stutter in his chest.

“Hello? Kix? Are you even listening to me?”

Blinking as Reveth stepped in front of him, waving her skeletal metal arm in his face, Kix shook his head, crashing back to reality as the twi’lek eyed him suspiciously.

“What?” he finally answered obliviously, Reveth rolling her eyes at him.

“I said ‘what’s the plan’? You have any idea where this sister of yours is?”

Kix blinked a couple more times before shaking his head, their mission slinking back into his mind with startling clarity.

“Uh, no,” he admitted a little sheepishly, grateful when Maree moved to join the conversation, Ithano caught between listening and eyeing one of the local taverns that sat just off of the square. “We, uh… all we got was a location.”

“We could always ask around?” Maree suggested brightly. “I’m sure there must be someone around who remembers a group of clones and a child arriving here, even if it was fifty years ago. Tales like that don’t just fade out.”

“Did you say ‘clones’?”

A small voice caught them unaware, the group splitting to get a look at their little eavesdropper, a small, dark skinned child with thick, black curly hair pulled up by a golden accessory and wide, chestnut eyes gazing up at them in amazement.

Kix looked to Maree for a moment, lost at how to respond, watching as she bent down on one knee, bringing herself to the little girl’s eye level, smiling kindly.

“We did!” she grinned good naturedly. “We’re looking for information about some clones that would have come here a long time ago, probably when your mother was just a little girl.”

Reveth folded her arms as she regarded the child, unsure.

“You sure this isn’t some kind of trick?” she hissed to Ithano, who simply shrugged, sharing a look with Kix.

“Who would be trying to trap us here? This place is remote as remote gets.”

The twi’lek huffed, frowning at the small girl.

“I still don’t like it.”

“There haven’t been clones here in aaaaages,” she grinned dramatically, “but my gramma Phee might know!” the girl exclaimed excitedly, bouncing on the heels of her cork sandals, twisting the hem of her white and blue embroidered dress as she looked up at them wide eyed, “I can show you her house! She used to fly in a ship, and she knew a lot of people.”

“Sounds like as good a place as any to start,” Maree mused, wincing as she stood from crouching, Kix immediately by her side, worry written over his features. “Just stiff,” she reassured him, looking back down to the little girl, who was now beaming. “I’m Maree, this is Kix, Reveth and Ithano,” she introduced them quickly. “What’s your name?”

“Ad’ika,” the girl smiled back, Maree shooting Kix an odd look when his grip on her hand tightened, his smile fading quickly. “Follow me!”

With a skip in her step, she darted down the stone brick street, the slope steady and well worn.

Reveth huffed as she and Ithano quickly made to follow the child, Maree smiling in reassurance to the twi’lek as she nodded to Kix with a questioning look, silently reassuring her he was okay.

“Kix?” she prompted softly, “What’s wrong?”

“That’s not her name,” he murmured lowly, eyes narrowing for a moment before he marched off after his crew mates, practically dragging Maree along with him, confusion consuming her thoughts.

“What? What do you mean?” she asked, gasping as she almost tripped on one of the steps, Kix slowing his pace just a little.

“Ad’ika. It’s mando’a. Clone language. It means ‘little one’ or ‘child’. That’s not a name.”

“So Reveth might be right?” Maree gasped, eyes widening in fear, “This could be a trap?”

“A trap for who though?” Kix thought aloud, looking at the corner Ithano and Reveth had rounded hesitantly, drawing to stop and turning to Maree, pressing a hand to her shoulder.

“I don’t like this at all,” he admitted quickly, eyes darting around, keeping a keen eye on their surroundings. “You should head back to the ship. I’ll find the others and round them up. Lock the ship until we get back. Even if I do have a sister, putting you at risk isn’t worth it.”

“So… It’s true then…”

Another, unfamiliar voice caught them unaware, Maree practically yelping as Kix shoved her behind him, shielding her with his body as a figure emerged from the end of the street, the shuffling of feet preceding their arrival.

Despite all of his misgivings, Kix let his guard down a little as an older woman, easily in her late sixties or early seventies, emerged, dressed in an intricately patterned blue and green tunic and shorts, a necklace of seashells adorning her neck.

Her hair was tightly curled and grey, pulled back into a loose ponytail, her face round and welcoming, but her eyes were shrewd and sharp, searching Kix’s face with an intensity unexpected of her age.

“Maker… I haven’t seen that face for years,” she sighed, stepping further into the light, taking in Kix’s features, and the way his hand hovered over his blaster. “No need for all that,” she chuckled, nodding to his blaster, “just can’t be too sure in these parts. Plenty of folk come looking for the Clone memorial looking to make a quick buck on relics they left behind. That, and we keep an eye on pirates round these parts.”

Kix’s eyes widened, mind whirring as he put the pieces together.

“Where are you taking them?” he snapped, hand resting on the holster of his blaster, “If you hurt them…”

The woman laughed loudly, the sound echoed by some small, green furred creatures in the trees above her, their mimicry turning into happy chittering in short order.

“You’re very jumpy, aren’t you? Your friends are at Phee’s, where she’ll feed them, water them and tell them a thousand stories from her time as a pirate,” she grinned, Maree leaning around Kix to get a better look at the woman.

“There’s a clone memorial here?” she asked, Kix moving his hand away a little, allowing her to step next to him.

The woman nodded, eyeing her up and down for a moment. She made no attempt to disguise the way her gaze lingered on Maree’s stomach, or the way Kix’s hand rested protectively over it.

“Come with me,” she smiled, “there’s someone you should meet.”

“And why should we trust you?” Kix growled lowly, Maree taken aback by the hostility in his voice, though she agreed with the sentiment.

As the woman turned, she flicked her hair and laughed, sharp eyes locking with Kix’s before she began to move.

“Because I was here when Clone Force 99 arrived.”

*-*-*

“Lyanna, I swear to the Force, if you’ve bought those tourists here again, I’ll…”

The occupant of the house the woman led them to instantly froze the moment she laid eyes on Kix, the glass decanter in her hand falling onto the tile floor and shattering into a thousand pieces.

Her features were instantly recognisable, Maree inhaling a sharp breath as they lingered at the door, Lyanna rushing forward to help the other woman clean up, even as she stared in shock, familiar brown eyes wide and brimming with tears.

“It’s… that’s… not possible,” she breathed, her short, greyish white curls ringing her face as she began to cry, Lyanna quickly abandoning the now full dustpan and brush to wrap an arm around her shoulders.

“Sorry, ‘Mega. I know I should have warned you, but you know how quick word spreads…”

“It’s… it’s fine,” she tried, swallowing hard as she took a tentative step towards Kix, the medic reaching back for Maree once again, unsure.

“It’s her, love,” she murmured into Kix’s ear, nudging him forward, down the steps into the tiled kitchen, “it’s your sister.”

Kix blinked a few times, recognising his brothers in this woman; the nose, the eyes, the tight lips.

She was one of them. A clone.

“W-Who are you?” she stammered, searching Kix’s face, lingering on the barely visible edges of his tattoo for a moment, “How…”

“Kix,” he managed after a moment, the name barely gasped, “My… My name is Kix.”

“Kix,” she repeated, as if saying his name too loudly might scare him away, a smile breaking through the uncertainty on her face. “Echo told me about you, from the 501st… You were their medic… You… I’m Omega. I… I’m your…”

“Sister,” Kix finished for her, taking a step forward to meet her, the word bringing more tears to his eyes. “I know.”

Omega let out a sob, practically launching herself forward with a speed unbecoming of someone of her age, wrapping her arms around Kix, hugging him tightly.

After a moment of surprise, he let out a breath he didn’t even realise he was holding, releasing a shuddering sigh into her shoulder as he hugged her back, tears streaming down his face too.

“I thought we were the last ones,” Omega sobbed into him, squeezing even tighter before she released him, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “He’s going to be so happy to see you!”

Omega’s gaze moved up to Maree, her smile widening as she gestured her forward, meeting her in a hug as well, names exchanged as Kix looked back at Omega, confused.

“Who?” he breathed, confusion making his head spin. Every one of his brothers would have been dead… Who could possibly be left?

“Come on, I’ll show you.”

*-*-*

Even before he could make out the facial features of the man sat in a chair at the end of the small garden of Omega’s house, his gaze locked on the expanse of ocean beyond the cliffs below, Kix recognised the stark outline of a scomp in place of a right forearm and mechanical legs crossed over one another, his breath hitching in his throat.

“Echo,” he croaked, the figure turning towards him a little too slowly, sunlight spilling over his face as he rocked back in his chair to find the source of the voice, confused.

“Fives?”

Kix’s heart broke a little, another soft nudge from Maree sending him forwards, stumbling over his own feet as he made his way towards his long lost brother, practically falling to his knees in front of him.

“Echo,” Kix repeated, crying in earnest, uncaring now, “it’s me. It’s Kix.”

“Kix…” Echo chuckled softly. “I knew a Kix once. Great medic. Cheated at sabacc like a mother-kriffer. He went missing, just after… after…”

Realisation seemed to cross Echo’s face as his eyes refocused, settling on Kix’s face.

The medic took in the sight of his brother, the thinning grey curls on his head, the ports from his time with the Techno Union still present and sunken now, wrinkles and lines littering his skin. And yet, he looked… content. Relaxed. As if he was just another old man enjoying his retirement in a sunny paradise, not a veteran of the Clone Wars.

His armour was long gone, replaced with soft cotton fabric, a tunic and shorts in white and blue, still holding onto the memory of the war.

“Kix?” Echo whispered, leaning in a little closer. “Is… Is that… Is it really you?”

“It’s me, vod,” Kix sobbed, reaching out for Echo’s flesh hand, clutching at it. The skin felt loose and wrinkled, but it was him, and it was real, and Echo was alive and here with him. “It’s me.”

Maree watched on with tears running down her face as Echo let out a cry of his own, practically falling out of his chair to hug Kix, the two of them sobbing and holding each other as years of pain and loneliness slipped away from them, clutching at each other like a lifeline.

“H-How?” Kix gasped as Omega moved forward, helping him to his feet and offering him a chair at the table opposite Echo, the two of them smiling through the tears now, barely contained euphoria flooding through them. Omega draped a blanket over Echo’s shoulders, the cyborg giving her a fond smile in return, and she drew up two more chairs for her and Maree, watching curiously as Kix reached for his lover’s hand, twining their fingers together for comfort.

“Techno Union bastards,” Echo chuckled coldly, shaking his scomp at Kix before sighing, spinning it around slowly. “Wanted to make good on their ‘investment’.”

Kix frowned in confusion, looking to Omega, who reached across the table and slipped her hand into Echo's, squeezing it in comfort.

“The Techno Union altered his DNA to remove the accelerated ageing gene that the Kaminoans deliberately implanted in all Clones during creation,” she smiled weakly. “Seems that they didn’t want a short term project with Echo.”

“The Techno Union?” Maree asked quietly, Kix nodding.

“Echo was held by them after he was left for dead at the Citadel on Lola Sayu during a rescue mission gone wrong. They gave him the cybernetics and used him as an algorithm to fight against his own brothers until Clone Force 99 freed him on Skako Minor.”

“You mean…” Maree’s eyes widened as she looked over Echo, taking in his implants and frail frame, the slightly lighter tone of his skin, his features visible even under the years of living he’d done, “he’s… He’s the Hero of Annaxes?”

“Annaxes?” Echo perked up suddenly, grinning ear to ear, “Yeah, fried all those kriffing clankers. Boom!” He let out a throaty laugh. “Wrecker used to say that. Boom! Blew them all up.”

He hesitated for a moment, looking to Omega, his expression falling a little.

“Is Wrecker home yet? It’s getting dark. You know how Hunter worries…”

Maree watched as Omega’s expression turned pained, a smile forced through the hurt as she nodded, squeezing Echo’s hand.

“Wrecker’s fine,” she reassured him thickly, swallowing hard. “He’s waiting for you. Remember?”

“Waiting…” Echo repeated, his gaze falling to his hand where it joined with Omega’s, nodding slowly. “Waiting. With… With Fives…”

Suddenly his eyes flickered back up to Omega’s face, his expression turning fond.

“You’ve grown up so much, ‘Mega,” he sighed, tapping her fingers with his own. “When did you get so tall? You look after us so well. What would we do without you?”

Kix’s heart broke a little more as Omega fought back tears, smiling through the distress, simply squeezing Echo’s hand back fondly.

“Gotta look after my little brothers,” she teased, Echo laughing loudly for a moment before it morphed into a cough, a mechanical wheezing coming from his chest.

Behind them, Lyanna appeared with a wheelchair, nodding to Omega, who helped Echo to stand.

“Come on, ori’vod. Time to get you inside in the warm,” she sniffed, Lyana smiling reassuringly as Echo transferred easily into the chair, readjusting the blanket and grinning at Omega.

“Love you, little ‘Mega,” he chuckled softly. “Oh, and tell that Kix… Tell him… Rex… yes… Rex. He was looking for him.”

“I will, Echo,” Omega smiled sadly, nodding to Lyanna as she took him inside, closing the door behind them.

Immediately, Maree was out of her chair, wrapping her arms around Omega, who broke down against her, sobbing hard.

“I, I’m sorry,” she stammered as the two sat down together, Omega desperately trying to dry her face with her hand, “It’s been… It’s been a long time since we spoke about the others, and… the last few years, his cybernetics have been… I’ve done my best, but Tech always used to… he used to do it, and I…”

Maree shushed her gently, looking up at Kix, the grief on his face apparent.

He was too late. Echo was all but gone, his last brother worn away by time and old age. And for a moment he was angry. Not at Echo, but at himself.

At least one of his brothers had gotten to live a long, happy life, retiring to paradise, and yet he had the audacity to be angry at that? That he wasn’t young enough to remember Kix?

No. He’d lived an entire, full life after the War, like every brother should have. That wasn’t something that should be mourned.

“Kix, are you okay?” Maree asked gently, reaching for his hand as Omega settled back into her chair, drying her tears.

Drawing in a shuddering breath, he forced a smile, nodding.

“Yeah. It’s… It’s just a lot,” he admitted, looking towards Omega. “How long do you think he has?” he managed, swallowing hard.

Omega shrugged, laughing at herself.

“Hours? Days? Weeks?” she shook her head. “Tech would be so disappointed in me for guessing. The truth is, I don’t know. He just seems like… Like he’s been waiting for something,” she sighed, looking at Kix with a frightened expression.

“Can I talk to him?” the medic asked softly. “I promise I won’t say anything that’ll upset him. I just… I’d like to hear his stories.”

“He’s got more than enough of them,” Omega sighed, nodding. “I’m going to turn in soon. You’re welcome to stay too,” she directed to Maree, who nodded in thanks, meeting Kix’s gaze.

“We should probably comm the others before they launch a full on siege looking for us,” she chuckled, Omega’s eyes widening a little. “Don’t worry,” Maree reassured her, “they wouldn’t get far. Not for lack of trying, though.”

The woman laughed, shaking her head.

“Sounds like the Batch back in the day. I’d like to meet them. I’ll comm Phee. Echo’s room is on the ground floor, first door on the left,” she informed Kix, who nodded, standing up from his chair and dropping a soft kiss to Maree’s head before heading inside, making for his brother’s room.

“How did he survive?” Omega asked Maree after Kix had disappeared inside, her gaze a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

“He found out about the chips,” Maree sighed softly, looking back towards the house, “and the Separatists found out about him. Captured him, tortured him, and locked him in a cryo-stasis chamber. That ship crashed, and fifty years later, Ithano and his crew found him and took him in.”

“That was nice of them,” Omega remarked, the statement said without malice or sarcasm, simply a genuine remark. “And you? How did you and Kix…”

“He came looking for answers,” Maree smiled sadly, “when I worked on Hosnian Prime. I studied the Clone Wars as a speciality subject. When he came to me, I assumed he had a Clone for a father, or grandfather. But as things went on…”

They sat together in silence for a time as the sun began to set and the night drew in, the beginnings of stars twinkling in the sky.

“Would you like to see the memorial?” Omega asked suddenly, breaking Maree’s reverie. “I usually go down just after dark to see them.”

Maree hesitated for a moment before nodding sagely, the weight of the offer not lost on her.

“If that’s okay?”

“Of course,” Omega smiled, a youthful energy seeming to overtake her, “it’s down by the pier. It’s beautiful at night. We made sure they had one of the best spots, after everything they did for us.”

“Will you tell me?” Maree prompted, excited at the prospect of learning about this lost piece of history from an era she thought she knew so well.

Omega simply grinned, gesturing for her to follow.

*-*-*

“Echo? You awake?”

Kix crept into the room quietly, greeted by a soft grumble, his lips tilting up into a smile.

“Briefing’s not til oh-eight hundred,’ Echo grumbled, ‘g’back to sleep.”

Kix let out a huff of laughter, shaking his head as he moved to sit on the end of the bed, noting Echo’s prosthetics laid out neatly on the floor next to it.

Tucked up to his neck by a thick duvet and a handwoven blanket, he looked utterly relaxed, his eyes fluttering.

“I know, Vod,” Kix offered gently, “I just wanted to check in on you.” “Thanks, Kix, but I’m fine. Same ol’ aches and pains. They’ll go.” “One day,” Kix finished for him with a grin, Echo returning it softly.

“How are the others?” Echo murmured, sitting up as much as he could. “I heard Jesse became an ARC.”

“He sure did,” Kix smiled sadly, the lump in his throat returning, “but hey, what about you? I want to hear all about your missions with the Batch. Omega said you guys got up to some crazy stuff.”

Echo seemed to zone out for a moment, his eyes searching Kix’s. Not finding what he was looking for, his smile returned quickly, chest shaking with laughter as he shook his head.

“You wouldn’t believe half of it,” he huffed, Kix shuffling closer, giving Echo his full attention.

“Try me.”

“Well,” Echo smirked, making him look years younger as mischief flashed in his eyes, “there was a time, we had to get some crates from a nest of Aggrocrabs…”

*-*-*

Omega hadn’t been lying, Maree mused to herself as she looked over the calm ocean waves, the reflection of stars sparkling across the tiny waves that lapped at the shore.

“It really is beautiful,” she whispered as she took in the serene beauty of the stone statue of a clone trooper, obviously lovingly hand carved from stone, standing in pride of place over the small pier just below.

At the base, flower rings and candles littered the floor, handmade ornaments and coins from all over the galaxy.

“After the Clone Rebellion, a lot of them came back here,” Omega explained softly, silent tears rolling down her cheeks. “They’d lost so much, but what they had, what we all had left, we gave to Pabu. We built homes, families, but not quickly enough. The accelerated ageing caught up with them, and…”

Her breath hitched in her throat, an apologetic smile gracing her lips.

“There are over two hundred clone troopers here,” she explained quietly. “We cremated them, and they were scattered on the beach. This is a place where we come to remember, where we can be close to them again.”

Closing her eyes and inhaling deeply, she let her memories flow, more tears falling.

“This was my second real home. The first was the Marauder, our ship. But when we came here…”

As she opened her eyes, Maree watched the play of emotions over the older woman’s face.

“Tech would take me flying over the island, giving me lessons. Wrecker built the sea wall almost single handedly, and Hunter would help with rebuilding the houses and hunting for food. They loved it here. Until… The Empire…”

She trailed off, looking back out to sea.

“They’re gone now,” she sighed deeply, “and Echo saw all of them go, one by one. He felt so guilty about outliving them, even though it wasn’t his fault.”

Maree nodded, her stomach twisting a little.

“I think Kix feels the same,” she admitted with a sigh. “He woke up thinking he could still save his brothers, save the Republic. It’s taken him a long time to accept that he couldn’t. I just hope speaking to Echo helps him. He deserves happiness, he’s been through so much.”

Omega’s smile softened as she looked Maree over, her gaze lingering on the slight swell of her stomach.

“It seems like he’s found that with you,” she offered softly, turning back to look at the Memorial. “You know, after we found out Echo wasn’t ageing as fast as the others, I tried to find a cure for them. We did so many tests, taking DNA samples, comparing mine, Echo’s and every other clone we could find. The Techno Union databanks were all purged, and there wasn’t much left of the Kaminoan’s research…”

She trailed off as Maree joined her in staring out into the ocean.

Kix’s lifespan was always going to be shorter than hers. She knew that when she committed herself to him, and it wasn’t something she tried to dwell on too much. But knowing Omega had seen so much of it, that they’d tried… Something inside her broke as she ran her hand over her stomach, emotions welling inside her.

“It’s not fair, what they went through,” she sobbed, tears blurring her vision. “Even now, Kix can’t escape it. The war ended fifty years ago, and he’s still suffering.”

Turning into Omega as the older woman wrapped an arm around her shoulder, she sobbed hard and harder, mourning for a future that hadn’t even come yet. They had more years left together, she knew, but it was all going to end too soon.

“It’s not fair,” she choked out again, shaking her head. “It’s not,” Omega agreed plainly, grabbing Maree’s hand and placing a small data stick into it, their eyes meeting as Maree looked down at it in confusion.

“Wha…”

“It’s not fair,” Omega repeated thickly, “but this can change that.”

Maree’s heart skipped a beat or two as she stared, wide eyed at Omega, trying to process what she was saying.

“I… I don’t understand…”

With the moonlight dancing over her face, Omega suddenly looked so much older. She looked tired, the years finally taking their toll. Drawing in a long breath, she forced a smile, meeting Maree’s gaze with a familiar intensity.

“I figured it out too late for most of them,” Omega sniffed, more tears rolling down her cheeks, “but it gave Hunter and Wrecker a few more years, at least. But for Kix… He’d age normally. No dying too young. No accelerated ageing. You can grow old together. The way it’s meant to be.”

Maree stared at the datastick in her hand, her mind stalling, forgetting how to breathe for a moment.

“You… You did it?” she croaked, looking back to Omega, hope blooming in her chest, “You stopped it?”

“I did,” Omega cried, “and finally, I can help someone with it. You and Kix can be together properly, not rushing, not scrambling to live a full life in half the time you should have. I… I owe the others that.”

Unable to do anything else, Maree clutched at the datastick and hugged Omega tightly, the two of them sharing their grief and their hope.

“Thank you,” Maree gasped eventually, her heart swelling with emotion, “I… I can’t put into words how much this means. Thank you!”

“Just take care of my brother,” Omega sniffed, her voice cracking, “they love so intensely. He’ll never let you down.”

“I will. I promise you.”

*-*-*

By the time Omega and Maree made it back to the house, it was silent and dark, both creeping down the hallway to look in on Echo’s room, their hearts warmed by the sight that greeted them.

The brothers were laid next to each other in the small bed, their foreheads pressed together as they slept. The soft mechanical whirring of Echo’s cybernetics didn’t seem to bother the medic, his face completely relaxed in sleep, Omega sighing as she watched them.

Gesturing silently to Maree, they backed out of the room, sharing a warm smile. Their family was safe and content, and they could ask for nothing more.

After Omega showed Maree to the spare room, bidding her goodnight and laughing softly as Maree fell into the plush mattress, relishing in how soft it was, Maree pulled out her comm, checking it idly as she pulled her hair loose and placed the ties onto the bedside table, giggling to herself at some of the messages.

Of course, there were several from Reveth, all sorts of colourful language used, the text becoming less and less legible as they went on and becoming more in depth about how awesome this ‘Phee’ was.

Ithano had only sent two, one stating they were ‘fine’ and the other reading ‘try the beer’.

Maree let out a snort of laughter as she stripped her clothes off and hung them on the chair on the far side of the room, slipping under the duvet with a deep sense of satisfaction, scrolling through the last of the comms.

Quiggold had only sent one, and to their group message at that; a holo of himself stood on the sea wall, wet with sea water and smiling toothily. It seemed he was having the time of his life, and Maree was glad that the at times uptight Gabdorian had finally been able to let loose.

With another deep sigh, she set her comm to the side and settled into the comfortable bed, quickly falling into a dreamless sleep. Whatever the morning brought, she knew they would be okay.

*-*-*

The next day was a busy one.

Before anyone had even woken properly, Ithano, Reventh and Quiggold appeared at the front door with the child who had led them away the day before and an elderly woman with warm, dark skin and thick grey curls hung with golden coils in tow, their laughter audible from the end of the street.

Maree heard the door go and the familiar voice of Omega greeting them, soon followed by the smell of cooking meats and the strong scent of coffee. It was too tempting, and she soon found herself washed, dressed and heading downstairs, eyes softening as she bumped into Kix at the foot of them, supporting Echo to hobble to the kitchen.

“Morning,” he smiled gently, Maree returning the gesture, nodding to Echo, who was eyeing her with interest.

“Well hello,” he chuckled throatily, “nobody told me we had such a radiant visitor to our home! Kix, is this your girl?”

The medic flushed brightly, nudging Echo gently in a show of faux displeasure as he sighed, looking Maree over, his gaze full of adoration.

“Sure is,” he grinned, “definitely worth the wait.”

Maree flushed brightly, leaning in to peck his cheek before making way for the two of them to pass, Echo grinning toothily at her.

“We should take her to 79’s,” Echo chortled, Kix smiling sadly, “show her off. Jesse and Fives will be so jealous.”

Kix simply laughed, nodding.

“They will, vod. I know they will.”

“Gotta find me a nice girl too,” Echo hummed happily, grinning, “though did I ever tell you about Riyo? Pantoran senator I worked with, the most amazing tits…”

“Echo!” Omega chastised him as she brought a plate of fried meat and eggs over to the table, rolling her eyes, “Child present!”

“Oh, sorry, sprout,” he chuckled sheepishly, winking at Omega as he settled at the table with Kix’s help, Maree shaking her head fondly as the other woman met her gaze, huffing. “Phee! You made it!” he exclaimed suddenly, looking at the elderly woman at the end of the table, her smile matching his. “Is Tech with you?”

Phee simply laughed softly, a sadness permeating her very presence as she shook her head, sighing.

“Hey Echo. No, he’s… away,” she smiled weakly. “We’re all going to meet up soon. Promise.”

“Good, good,” Echo nodded, seemingly satisfied. “Miss that nerd.”

“Gramma, what’s a nerd?” came a little voice from beside Phee, the little girl from the day before tugging at her gold and red robe, wide eyes staring up at her.

Maree couldn’t help but smile at the little girl as Kix pulled out a chair for her, helping her to sit before dropping a soft kiss into her hair, pulling it back over her shoulders where it still hung loose.

“A nerd is a clever person, someone who is really good at computers, like your grandpa Tech,” Phee explained calmly, stroking the little girl’s curls as she smiled down at her.

“Oooh,” the girl nodded, thinking hard, “like Revy?”

“Hey!” Reveth protested, Maree watching with curiosity as the twi’lek grabbed the little girl, tickling her sides and picking her up, drawing shrieking giggles from the child as she struggled and wiggling in her grip, completely unbothered by the presence of her robotic arm. “I told you, squirt, I’m a slicer. Not a nerd!”

Ithano watched with interest for a moment before turning to look between Kix and Maree, nodding to them both in greeting.

“There is nothing wrong with being technologically fluent,” Quiggold interjected, Reveth rolling her eyes as she placed the child on the ground again, winking at her as she ran to take her own seat at the far end of the table, waving to Maree.

The easy banter continued over breakfast, Omega’s smile growing as she listened and laughed, coming to sit next to Maree, Lyanna arriving shortly after the meal began with some fresh rolls from the bakery a few streets away, divvying them up between the gathering.

Kix watched with an amused smile as Maree broke one of the rolls open and inhaled the scent of the freshly baked bread, eyes fluttering closed as she hummed in contentment.

“Enjoying yourself?” he teased, Maree frowning good naturedly at him.

“It’s been far too long since I had fresh bread,” she lamented as Omega passed her the butter, a generous serving scooped into the fluffy inside of the roll, beginning to soften immediately. “I used to live near this wonderful little bakery until a pirate came and swept me off my feet and dragged me into a life of adventure.”

“Oh?” Kix queried smugly, “I hope he was worth it.”

“Definitely,” she winked, giggling as Kix leaned over to press a kiss to the side of her head, the two sharing a moment while the conversation flowed around them.

“So, what’s the plan for today?” Phee asked from the head of the table, eyes fond as she watched the interaction between Maree and Kix, grinning as Echo’s attention turned to her, his eyes bright.

“I think I’d like to sit in the garden again,” he grinned happily, “Wrecker’s plants are growing in nicely, right ‘Mega?”

“Who’s Wrecker?” Reveth asked with a mouth full of bread, earning her a sharp elbow from Ithano, remaining stoic even as the twi’lek growled in response.

“Wrecker,” Echo laughed, “my vod. One of my vod. Big guy, can’t miss him.”

Kix let out a huff of laughter, shaking his head.

“You know I watched him lift an entire gunship on his own once?” he grinned, Maree’s eyes widening with shock. “Just threw it like it was a dumpster.”

“Really?” Phee chuckled lightly, tilting her head to one side as Kix nodded.

“Oh yeah, picked up my brother like he was nothing as well. Wouldn’t have wanted to be on his bad side!”

Omega giggled, the sound almost foreign, Echo turning to beam at her as she did.

“He taught me how to disarm bombs too.”

“He what?” Kix spluttered in disbelief, Maree hiding her mouth behind her hand as she tried not to laugh at his reaction. “But you were just a kid!”

“Hey, I’m still older than you, vod’ika,” Omega reminded him sternly, her face softening into a brilliant smile. “You should have seen Hunter’s reaction when he taught me how to twirl his knife!”

“Now, this is a story I can get behind,” Reveth smirked, Ithano leaning in to listen as Quiggold pulled out his datapad, seemingly making notes as Omega smiled at Echo, the old clone nodding in encouragement, settling in for the story.

“Well we’d just finished a mission on Jakku, and we were heading back to the ship when I saw Hunter spinning his vibroblade and asked him if I could try…”

*-*-*

The day sped by all too quickly.

Even when breakfast was long finished, the group remained at the table, listening to Omega’s tales of her brothers, Echo adding in his own memories when he could as the crew of the Stinger listened in amazement, Kix explaining some terminology when they were unsure.

He was equally amazed by the tales, by Omega’s bravery, even as a child, and of the group’s loyalty to each other.

When it came to the parts where Echo left to help Rex with the Clone rebellion, he was utterly unsurprised, smiling proudly at the determination Echo still showed, his own pride in his actions apparent.

The stories continued as they spilled into the garden, the bright midday sun beating down on them as Lyanna and Omega cleaned up and got lunch ready, blankets and chairs laid out and even the sofa moved into the garden by Reveth and Ithano to accommodate such a big group.

Phee took her turn as well, telling stories of her adventures with the Clones, of their treasure hunts gone awry, of bringing them to Pabu, and how she’d fallen for Tech.

By the time they were done laughing, eating and reminiscing, the sun was beginning to set on the horizon.

One by one, Phee and her little grandchild, then Lyanna left, only the crew of the Stinger remaining with Echo and Omega, Ithano, Reveth and Quiggold moving inside as the temperature began to drop.

With blankets drawn around them, Maree and Kix sat with Echo and Omega, listening as Echo recounted tales from the 501st, much to Omega’s delight.

Kix’s cheeks were hurting from laughing so hard, Echo’s voice rough from speaking for so long, dried tears of joy on both of their faces.

“And the time Fives replaced the blue paint with neon pink, and Rex didn’t even notice because we’d sabotaged the caf machine!”

“I don’t know how he coped with you two,” Kix chuckled, Echo nodding, his memories flowing as they reminisced.

The last beams of sunlight began to disappear over the horizon as their laughter faded, leaving them in a comfortable silence, Echo’s body heaving with the occasional laugh, the sound of his cybernetics so much louder than Kix could ever remember.

“He had a soft spot for us after Rishi,” Echo explained simply, waving his hand. “After we lost Cutup and… and… oh, what were their names? Hev… Hevy? And… and…”

His focus seemed to fade, eyes glazing over as Omega placed another blanket around his shoulders, his hand coming up to pat hers as he smiled lazily up at her.

“Do you want to go inside?” she asked softly, the old clone shaking his head, settling further back into his chair.

“No, I’m alright,” he replied firmly, reaching for her hand and squeezing it again, none of them missing how he was shivering. “I’m enjoying this. Catching up. Seeing my brother.”

“As long as you’re warm enough,” she grinned, looking between her brothers, “you’ve had a lot of catching up to do.”

Echo nodded sagely, his chest rattling loudly as he drew in a sharp breath, frowning.

“‘Mega… Can you get Tech? Think that my… my pipes need some work again.”

Kix met Omega’s gaze with a sympathetic expression, not missing how she winced at the name, sighing as she knelt down in front of him, holding his hand in hers.

“Tech’s a bit busy at the moment, Echo,” Omega explained gently, “but I’ll make sure he pops by later.”

Echo huffed, frowning as he shifted to look at Kix, his eyes widening a little in recognition.

“Kix… Rex was looking for you!” he smiled, the medic’s heart aching.

“I know, vod,” he reassured Echo, reaching to place his hand over Omega’s, reassuring her silently..

“He sent us out looking for years,” Echo chuckled softly, “we looked everywhere. You just vanished. I always said you’d be okay.”

Drawing another deep, rattling breath, Echo beamed at Kix, his face relaxing.

“You’re okay, Kix.” Tears spilled over the medic’s face as Echo nodded, confident in his own words. “You’re okay.”

Kix’s breath hitched as he shifted closer to Echo, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

In a way, he knew.

Echo was slipping away.

Like one last hurrah, their reminiscing seemed to have drained him, his eyes fluttering as Omega let out a broken sob, leaning up to stroke through his curls as he smiled gently, the whirring of his cybernetics beginning to slow.

“Omega,” he called in little more than a whisper, “little ‘Mega. You’re so brave. So strong. Love you, ‘Mega.”

“I love you too,” she sobbed, leaning in to kiss his forehead. Echo relaxed back into the chair, his breathing slowing. “I love you so much, Echo.”

“Hunter was right,” Echo grinned weakly, “better than all of us. Take… Takin’ care of me…”

With another shuddering breath, Echo reached for Kix’s hand gently, his strength fading.

“Hey… ‘m g’na see Fives,” he slurred the lights on his headpiece beginning to flicker dimly, “and… my… our vod.”

Kix nodded through his tears, grief wracking his body.

“Tell him he’s the bravest idiot I know, and he and Jesse had better save me a seat,” he laughed wetly, Echo chuckling in return.

“Oya, Kix,” he breathed, his chest rising and falling once more before it seemed to stutter, his eyes closing, lips falling lax as every muscle in his body seemed to relax all at once, his final breath drawn.

The whir of his cybernetics faded to complete silence as the lights on his headpiece blinked for the last time, fading to nothing as his body shut down, his head lolling onto his chest, his soul finally free.

“Oya,” Kix sobbed, “Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la.”

As he fell to the floor, Kix embraced Omega, the two of them sobbing into each other, tears soaking each other’s shoulders.

He was finally at peace, back with Fives, back with the rest of the Batch. And they were no longer alone. And yet it still hurt more than they could express, nothing but sobs and hitched breath between them as Maree knelt next to them both, drawing them into a joint embrace, shedding tears of her own for her family.

*-*-*

The funeral was a small affair. Exactly how Echo would have wanted it to be.

A simple service, Kix giving a eulogy punctuated by anecdotes about their time together, a tribute to how special Echo had been. Omega finished the service with a poem of her own making, tears rolling down her cheeks as she looked over her family and friends, Phee’s face shining with tears, surrounded by her own family as she nodded encouragement, a communal farewell to someone who was quite obviously adored.

As numb as Kix felt, he concentrated on the feel of Maree’s hand in his, squeezing and reassuring throughout the short service, her nudge of encouragement appreciated as Omega offered her hand to him, the two of them moving to the end of the pier with the urn containing Echo’s ashes.

With both of their hands holding it, they shared a nod before opening the lid and tipping it towards the sea, the contents caught by the wind, drifting through the air towards the open ocean.

He watched with a soft smile as a sudden gust of wind tore through the bay, seeming to seize the ashes and lift them higher and higher, twirling in what could only be described as a playful manner, creating a beautiful swirling pattern as it rose into the sky.

A warmth settled on his skin that had nothing to do with the balmy sunlight, instead, a weight seeming to lift from inside him as he let out a choked laugh, tears spilling over.

“Fives,” he sobbed quietly, “that has to be Fives.”

Omega simply smiled and nodded as she placed the urn at their feet, lacing her hand with Kix’s as they gazed upward, watching the last of Echo’s mortal form vanish.

“They’re together again,” Omega smiled through her grief, leaning into him a little, “they’re all together again.”

As the crowd dispersed, the crew of the Stinger remained by the memorial at the pier, lighting candles in memory of Echo, Reveth and Ithano sharing their own stories with Phee as Quiggold educated the nearby children about his species, many of them curious.

Kix drew Maree onto one of the benches nearby as Omega laid down one last offering at the shrine, her breath hitching with sobs as she placed Echo’s scomp delicately at the base, the appendage leaning against the worn stone in a place of honour.

Next to the scomp, a small box remained, one she picked up tenderly and opened, coming to sit next to Maree, grateful for her embrace as they all shuffled together.

“This is all I have left of them now,” she murmured sadly, picking a worn piece of red fabric from the box, what seemed to be a bandana. The colour was faded, a white skull painted onto the front almost grey from old age. It was tattered and well loved, Omega stroking lovingly over the skull before placing it back in the box, next retrieving a pair of battered goggles.

Again, she stroked over the metal rim, smiling to herself as she remembered her adventures with her brothers.

“I’m sorry you didn’t get long with him,” she directed to Kix, sniffing as she closed the box, the memories too much for now. “If I’d known…”

“I got to say goodbye,” Kix murmured through his tears, “and that was all I could have asked for.”

Omega nodded, silently standing and returning the box to the memorial, her eyes lingering on Echo’s scomp, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks.

“He was happy,” she sighed, turning to face Kix and Maree again, looking between them, “he was really happy. He loved it here, and everyone loved him. And I hope that… I hope that this gives you at least a bit of closure,” she managed, turning her attention to Maree, “and if you’re looking for somewhere to settle down for a while… as a parent… there’s no finer place to raise a child.”

Kix swallowed hard, meeting Maree’s gaze as his hand slipped over her stomach, his smile returning as he felt over the swell of it, frowning when he felt something sharp in her pocket.

“What’s that?” he asked curiously, Maree’s eyes widening.

In all of the goings on, she’d forgotten about Omega’s gift.

Tentatively pulling it from her pocket, she placed it in Kix’s palm, the datastick seemingly insignificant. Confused, Kix tilted his head slightly in silent question, Maree’s own tears welling up again.

“Omega gave it to me,” she explained quietly, biting her bottom lip. “She figured it out. The cure, I mean, for your accelerated ageing. We can stop it. We can build a life, a proper one. No rush, no fighting for time. Just us. The three of us.”

Kix stared at the stick in his hand for a few long moments, processing the information.

This tiny little thing was going to change his life. Give him more time with Maree, give him more time with his child.

One last gift from his brothers and sister.

“I… I….”

“You don’t have to make a decision right now,” Maree reassured him gently, closing her hands over his, cradling the stick, “but… mmmph!”

She never got to finish her sentence as Kix caught her lips in a passionate kiss, his free hand wrapping around the back of her neck, holding her close.

“I don’t need to think,” he murmured against her lips as they broke apart, tears escaping as their gazes met once again. “I know what I want. And I want this.”

Omega could only smile as she headed back to the house, memories flowing through every step.

For so long, she’d been so scared she’d be alone. And yet, now she had discovered another brother, another family.

And for once, Hunter’s declaration to her when they’d first settled on Pabu made sense, her throat constricting as she reached the house, running a hand over the stone next to the front door, a familiar scrawl from her childhood memorialised permanently in the duracrete, along with five handprints of various sizes, long worn deeper by the weather.

‘A home is not a home without the people who make it.’

“Welcome home,” she murmured as she re-entered the house, smiling to herself as a familiar warmth flooded through her.

They’d never truly be gone. She’d never be alone.

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