Reunion (#3 Post-Order 66 Series)

Reunion - Part 25

After a few minutes, they sat back from one another, Rex leaning on the edge of the bed, clasping Senna's hands as she relaxed back against the pillow. He absently traced the Jaig eyes etched on her left ring finger, and she squeezed his hand gently. "Do you know where you'll go?" she asked.

"Gregor's got a few options he's pulled together. They're all off the beaten path, out of the way so we won't draw attention and Wolffe won't be a risk."

"How will you get supplies?" she asked.

"Gregor or I will head in when we need to."

Senna chewed at her lip. "What if...I brought them to you?"

Rex glanced at her, his eyes sad. "Wolffe might try to kill you again. I can't take that risk, Senna."

"I won't come all the way. Just make the run out to say, orbit or something. You can come meet me in the ship, and then we'll at least have some time." She shifted, rolling onto her side so she was facing him. "I can't be without you permanently, Rex. Not again. So let's try and find some moments to steal for ourselves. Even if it's only a few hours every month, it's better than nothing."

"Is it?" he asked, his voice cracking. "Almost feels like that's going to be more torturous."

"You know it's not," she said, giving him a small smile. "Think of what it was like when we were apart and didn't know where the other was. When you didn't know if I was safe, if I still loved you. Now you'll know all that, and we'll find time to visit, however brief. That has to be better than what we were doing. And some day, we'll be together again. That's the goal, and you and I are too stubborn to let things go differently."

He let out a huff of a laugh as he stroked the back of her hand. "I suppose you're right."

A soft sound at the door caught Senna's attention, and she turned to see Tech standing there, looking sheepish. "I...I got the notification that your pain management system had gone off."

"Rex just took care of it," Senna said softly. "Thanks for checking, Tech."

She expected him to leave, but he stood there, shuffling his feet. His eyes met hers, and she felt her heart leap into her throat.

"I...I have news," he said quietly, and there was no doubt between the two of them as to what that news was about.

Senna could feel Rex's eyes on her, curiously examining her, but she couldn't tear her gaze away from Tech, trying to determine if what he was going to tell them was going to break her or not.

If it didn't work, you're no worse off than you are, she tried to reassure herself, but with Rex leaving again for who knows how long, she knew that definitely wouldn't be true. She needed this to have worked, needed her time with Rex after the sacrifice they'd both just agreed to.

"I thought you had a few more days," she said, trying to keep the quiver out of her voice.

"I did. But I became impatient. As I stated, the two weeks for skin cell regeneration is an average. It turns out, my cells regenerate at a slightly faster rate than that average."

Rex's eyes flicked between the two of them. "Can someone tell me what's going on?"

"Tech." Senna's voice was barely above a whisper.

A smirk tugged at the corners of his lips, and as he met her gaze once more, she could see there was a mist in his eyes, but they were shining in a way she hadn't seen since before Kestia died.

"It worked."

Senna could hear Rex asking for clarification next to her, but it was drowned out by the blood rushing in her ears. He did it. She turned to Rex, tears flooding her eyes, and she had to fight the urge to burst out laughing at his clear confusion. Taking his hand in hers, she waved Tech further into the room. The goggled clone took a seat next to Rex, pulling out his datapad.