FORESIGHT and SCOPE: BOOK TWO

C H A P T E R F I F T Y-F I V E

Tech actually chuckled. "Strangely, since I have verbally admitted my feelings, and you have reacted in this fashion, I feel as though a weight has been lifted off my shoulders."

"Do you promise you are okay?" Fern's vision blurred as new tears welled up, her voice cracking. Tech scoffed softly as he noticed her eyes shimmering, and he offered his open hand out between them. She folded her fingers over his palm. The intellectual clone swallowed, but retained his smile. "I must inquiry...why are you the one who laments?"

"I don't know." Fern admitted. "Maybe it's brain damage." The two friends shared light laughter, shattering any remaining tension between them. Their connected hands squeezed together. They exchanged nods, reassuring the other there was no cumbersome indifference. As Fern opened her mouth to say something, they both heard shouting from outside the ship.

"Fern! Are you there!?"

"Hunter..." Fern's chest swelled as she instantly dashed for the ramp to see her sergeant, only to be caught by Tech's tightened grip on her hand. She turned to him with confusion just as he raised his chin and cleared his throat. "I believe it goes unspoken that we are not going to disclose what happened here?" His inflection formed a question.

"Yes," Fern replied quickly. "I promise."

She then slipped her fingers from his grasp and proceeded to sprint to the egress, slamming her shoulder into the frame and almost tripping down the steps. She landed into Hunter's chestplate and waiting arms. Lifting her chin, she beamed with amourous delight when her eyes locked with his. "Hunt—" She was silenced by his passionate embrace, his lips crashing into hers and his gloved hands submerging in her hair. He used his fingers to tilt her head farther back to deepen their kiss. Fern clutched the crimson-red scarf wrapped over his armor. Her fervorous spirit surged through every nerve in her body, springing her up on her toes to reinforce the tender moment. When they momentarily released to breathe, her hands jumped to cup his stubbled jawline to pull him in once more.

"I'm fine." she breathed in between their close proximity, knowing the sergeant's motivation for this cherished act of endearment and relieving him of worry. "Tech fixed me up with the last of the bacta spray." Another strong kiss with a sharp inhale. "I am completely healed."

Hunter journeyed his osculations across her face, planting his lips on her cheek, the bridge of her nose, and sealing it with a long kiss on her temple, gingerly guiding her head. He then pressed their foreheads together, their noses grazed. "That's a relief." he chuckled, his warm breath tickled her nose. His left hand glided up and stroked down the back of her head, in which he felt the crusted blood in her hair. His smile wavered as his intense, handsome eyes glanced up at her scalp.

"Hey, hey." Fern forced his chin down, bringing his gaze back to hers. "I'm right here. So what if I lost a little blood? Maybe my temper won't boil as often." She snickered at her own quip. Hunter scoffed and pushed her head to his chest, her cheek smushed into the scarf's soft fabric. "Very funny, Fern." he smirked.

"Fern!"

"You're alive, Fern! Ha! Ha!"

"Omega. Wrecker." Fern slipped out of Hunter's embrace just in time for the muscular clone to scoop her body up in an arm-barred hug, affectionately crushing her against his chestplate while her boots dangled two feet off the floor. He laughed heartily, "You had me worried there. Glad to see you're okay."

"Thanks, you big oaf," The female clone squeaked. He set her down and freed her from his Wookie hug. Then, Omega jumped forward, tightly wrapping her arms around Fern's waist and burying her face in her stomach. Fern smiled and smoothed down the young girl's blonde hair. Her eyes trailed up and spotted Benni Baro reluctantly sticking near the egress. "I'm assuming everything went according to plan?" she joked, knowing full well there was none — whatever occurred while she was unconscious, however, that was a story. "So, who's going to fill me in?"