Impulse - Book 2 - Sergeant Hunter

{Chapter 18 - Pleading}

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Stellia shook her head to clear it as she ran through the fog.  

She had forgotten long ago what it was that she was searching for, but still she ran- faster, faster, faster. 

She suddenly skidded to a halt as she heard the sobs of a child from behind her. She turned to find a small brunette child, eyes brimming with tears as they cried out.

"Are you alright?" Stellia asked the child.

"I want my sisters back! Give them back!" 

Stellia's head pounded. What was this?

"You always were weak when it came to kids." 

Jeiro Troff. 

The crying girl morphed into a small Rodian child. The boy cowered away from Stellia.

"Please! Don't hurt me!" 

"I would never- I-" Stellia's breath hitched in her throat. 

"Oh but you would." Jeiro's voice rang out through the fog. 

"Why did you do this? How could you?" the boy continued to cry out.

"But I never hurt a kid- I swore I would never-" Stellia's breathing became shallow.

"There are more ways to hurt people than just physically Theta-6." 

It was then that Stellia heard a sickeningly familiar set of screams. Her sisters. 

"What is this Troff?" 

She received no answer. Only the transformation of the scared child. 

Omega. 

"Squirt? You okay?" Stellia asked shakily.

"Don't call me that." the blonde replied blankly.

The other Batchers approached from the fog. 

"You thought we would just forget?" Tech asked in his usual flat tone.

Wrecker laughed sourly- "After all you did?"

"After all those people you hurt?" Echo looked disgusted.

"Monster." Crosshair sneered. 

"Stop. This isn't real. What are you playing at Troff?" Stellia called out into the void. 

Then Hunter stepped forward.

"Hunter please- I'm sorry- I-" Stellia tried to plead but found the words sticking in her throat.

Hunter simply looked at her with pity written all over his face. 

"Hunter I didn't- I- I did what I had to- you know I would never- not a kid-" she hiccuped and coughed as tears streamed down her face. 

Hunter bent down to her, coming impossibly close, yet still not touching her. 

"Hunter-" Stellia called out weakly. She tried to reach a hand out to him, but he recoiled. 

"We just want to help Stellia." 

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Stellia was awoken with a jolt. Someone was shaking her. 

She began to cough and splutter, noting the tears that had begun to stream down her face. 

"Stellia! Stellia. It's okay, you're okay." 

Stellia wiped her eyes roughly. She found herself face to face with Hunter. 

"Hunter!" she exclaimed weakly. 

She completely forgot all the walls that she'd spent so much time building up. Letting out a strangled sob she wrapped her arms around Hunter's neck, bawling into his shoulder. 

"Hey. You're all right." Hunter soothed her as she broke down on his shoulder.

Eventually she regained her composure somewhat. Breaking away from the very concerned looking Hunter she wiped her eyes and blew her nose on a fabric scrap that she dug out of one of her pouches. 

"What happened? You were shaking and um- screaming... a lot." Hunter asked, keeping his eyes locked on Stellia's still shaking from.

"I- I had a nightmare." Stellia looked down, feeling stupid for getting so worked up over something so minuscule. 

"Some nightmare. Is this why you weren't sleeping a while back?" Hunter placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. 

Stellia nodded, still feeling deeply embarrassed at being seen in such a state. 

"Stellia. How long has this been happening?" 

"Longer than I'd care to admit." Stellia mumbled. 

Hunter's brow furrowed in concern- "We need to find a way to sort this out. You can't continue on like this." 

Stellia sniffled, then got caught on another thought- "The kid didn't see me like this did she?" 

"No. Omega and the others are out exploring the scrapyards. I stayed back to make sure the scrappers didn't try anything." 

Stellia sighed in relief. The last thing she needed was to make Omega worried. The kid had been through enough as is, she shouldn't have to deal with Stellia's problems. 

She then realized the full gravity of what had just occurred between her and Hunter. His hand still on her shoulder, her tears staining his undershirt. She could've smacked herself right across the face for allowing herself to be so vulnerable. 

But then she reconsidered. 

She felt better. 

A lot better.

Her mind was whirring and spinning as she held eye contact with Hunter for far longer than she felt she should have. She could feel the familiar warmth creeping it's way into her cheeks, the unsettling tingling sensation causing her mind to spin even more. 

Hunter noticed the red twinge in her cheeks, and the fast thudding of her heart. He figured he was imagining things. 

"I need to go check in with Tech. Are you gonna be okay here on your own for a bit?" Hunter asked.

"Y-yeah." Stellia stuttered under his watchful gaze. 

Hunter squeezed her shoulder one last time before standing up and walking off to find Tech. 

Stellia wanted to scream, for entirely different reasons from a few minutes earlier. Why did she let herself loose like that? How could she be acting this way over a man? What was she supposed to do? 

She came to a horrifying conclusion. 

She loved Hunter. 

She loved him and it scared her. 

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Things are heating up........ I'm sorry if this is a bit too janky and angsty, I'm still recovering from s3 ep11 </3 anyway remember to vote and comment, peace and love <3