The Bad Batch: Unlikely Ally, Unlikely Love

Chapter 15: A Time to Recover

Kira's last memory was smelling the burning wood of the tree above her. The very smoke had choked her, made her feel as if the fire was within her lungs. She couldn't shake that odor. Or maybe it was her own singed self she smelled because of the Force lightning striking her down. She didn't know.

All she knew was that she failed. Again. Only this time costed her everything.

The feeling of something wet and tingly spraying on her skin made her finally come back to consciousness. Her eyes slowly peeled open, feeling the dirt and grit on her eyelids. She coughed and could already feel how hoarse and dry she was. Her body ached everywhere...but how was she alive? Or was she ready to meet the afterlife?

"What...?" Kira blinked and tried to focus on where she was and why she kept getting sprayed.

"Oh, you're awake!" Rose's voice squealed from above her. Either this was a cruel dream or, somehow, she survived. "Tech, your bacta treatment really works."

"Using aid from your natural herbs, I was able to enhance the formula." He adjusted his goggles and kept misting Kira's skin. "You should truly consider utilizing a uniform that has more skin cover to prevent further injuries." Although he couldn't deny how attractive it was on her. "Also, this might hurt." He injected a needle into her arm. "There. That should be more effective on any internal damage. This spray only handles the external wounds."

Kira groaned softly as she tried to shift positions, feeling herself in bed. None of this made sense. She should be dead. Everyone she knows should be dead. This hotel should be burned down with an Imperial flag flying over the rubble...

Kira's eyes focused better to see she was in her bedroom. Rose was at the head of her bed and Tech was kneeling beside her, misting whatever solution he was talking about on her. Hunter was also in the room, leaning against the far wall. Just watching, a gaze mixed with concern and relief.

Kira was still confused. Was all this a dream? "How...am I here? I don't understand."

"I carried you!" Wrecker proclaimed loudly, making his presence known. He sounded like he was shouting from the doorway. "But I'm not the one who saved you."

Kira raised an eyebrow and looked around the room. Her mother shook her head, along with Tech. Her eyes fell onto Hunter, who pushed off the wall and came a bit closer. "I just did what anyone else would do when they see someone in need."

She felt an overwhelming sense of warmth fill her chest. "You saved me?" Her heart was beating faster and it made Tech's monitor beep at him. "How? Storm...I couldn't take him down."

Hunter tried to downplay it, not wanting that much credit. "It was a lucky shot. He was so focused on you, he never saw me coming, I guess. I took the shot though I missed his head. The lightning was too bright, I couldn't see very well. But after that, we managed to give him a barrage of fire and scare him off. He fled into the woods and haven't seen him since. It's been at least an hour. Even the sky is clear, since the clouds are a warning sign of his presence."

Kira would have cried if she wasn't so dehydrated, but it was for the best she just remained in her state of pure awe. "Hunter...I don't know what to say."

"You can say thank you," Rose said softly, the motherly side wanting to help.

Kira blushed from the embarrassment of being told to do the obvious. Hunter bit his lip as not to laugh over that. "You don't have to say anything. Just in a day's work."

She smiled, even though it hurt to do so. "Thank you, Hunter. I am in debt to you."

He shook his head. "Just focus on getting better. Then we're even."