Dirt on the Hands, Tears on the Face

Part II

Hunter was slightly relieved to see they were here first. They planned to stay here for a week for Omega to turn up, but they needn't wait long.

Hunter, ever since the ship landed, was thinking what to say to Omega. He felt a shortage of words to tell her how much he missed her. He couldn't muster the courage to talk to her after failing her so horribly. What if she's mad at them? What will he do then?

While these thoughts ate away at him, Wrecker paced the Marauder, all the while keeping his gaze at the sky through the windows in the cockpit.

Hunter was still worrying what to do when Wrecker saw him. "What's wrong, Hunter?"

He ran a hand in his hair. "I'm...just confused. What to say to Omega. And...what if she's mad at us. What if she hates us – hates me – for not coming for her."

Wrecker placed his big and gentle hand on Hunter's shoulder. The very hand which had supported him throughout this torturous chapter of his life, the hand which he was thankful for, the very hand which brought him back from the verge of insanity.

"Just...be natural. I know you can do it. Speak out the first thing that comes to your mind, be yourself. She loves you the way you are. And if I know Omega," he smiled in a lopsided way, "she's not gonna hold it against you. She realises the perils, and she'll forgive you faster than I can say her name. She has a heart purer than most, Hunter. She proved it with Crosshair."

Hunter smiled and squeezed his hand gently. "Thanks," he mumbled.

Wrecker looked like he was about to crack some joke when all of a sudden Hunter's senses detected an incoming ship. Wrecker darted to the window.

"Can I go first?" Wrecker asked with the innocence of a ten-year-old. Hunter, knowing how much Wrecker had to stay composed for Hunter's sake, and how much he missed Omega, gave him a nod.

They both were peering out the ship, which had now landed and opened its door. Please be Omega, please be Omega, please be Omega.

Wrecker peered out, and all of a sudden he squealed, but low enough not to go outside. "It's her," he said in a voice constricted with tears, "it is her, Hunter. It's her. It really is."

"Yes, Wrecker. She's finally home. Now, go on!"

Hunter saw Wrecker playfully bound out, and run to Omega. Force, she's grown just so much!

He could hear their voices while desperately waiting for his turn. Until it was too much. He walked out, and heard Wrecker.

"We crossed the galaxy four times looking for you!"

Hunter stepped into the light. Omega hadn't seen him yet. Good, surprise time!

"Five."

Omega's head snapped to him. Yes, it was his Omega. The look of joy on her face took away all the pain he'd suffered in five months in an instant.

He decided he'd give Omega a compliment. He usually didn't give compliments, but not every day your kid breaks out of an impenetrable and clandestine jail all by herself.

"But you're the one who found us."

Hunter wanted to smack himself. Out of all sentences, this?

It sounded so...like him. Rough, unemotional. Way to go, Sarge. Wrecker's so good at this thing

But the way Omega's face contorted as if she were holding back tears, as if she was too overwhelmed, made him positive about his choice.

The moment her little feet carried her across, Hunter ran down.

He always was the one to walk with grace. One at a time, posture erect, head held high. Usually it was Crosshair or Wrecker who slid or jumped steps, but today...he couldn't hold it in.

He jumped two stairs at a time to get to her quick.

Overcome with emotion, he bent down on a knee, like he always did for her, to her level, and did something he'd never, ever done for her before: he held out his arms for her to embrace.

She had hugged him, leaned into him so many times for comfort, but since he wasn't allowed to be weak, to show emotions, or rather, since he had no experience, he quite simply didn't know what to do, except to hold her shoulders or kneel to her level.

This time she deserved a hug. She definitely earned his hug. And also, he felt like he needed one too.

She dashed and threw her little arms around him.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

The galaxy felt so much brighter now. All problems felt minimal compared to the love he was feeling now.

Omega's home. She's finally with him.

Hunter now understood why Wrecker's love language was physical touch. Why he was so fond of hugs. They seemed to have a calming effect on you, that you're safe, you're loved and you're gonna be fine. Nothing's wrong now.

Omega circled her tiny arms around him, as he tightened his grip on her. He was afraid of letting her go again, of losing her. He hugged her back rather gently, as he didn't want to hurt her, despite every cell in his body screaming to hold her closer, hold her tighter, hold her closer to his heart, to memorise the feeling of her small arms around his neck.

"We missed you, kid. We never stopped searching."

Hunter felt a prickle of tears, and this time, he did not hold back.

Orders be damned. Those orders did not help him in finding Omega.

This time, he felt like a human, not a soldier.

Holding Omega tight, so she does not see him break like that, Hunter cupped her head with one hand and raised his face slightly to the skies so nobody can see him break down and trying not to quake hard, he let his tears fall.

All that wait had finally brought fruit. All those trips across the galaxy had finally come to an end.

I love you, Omega, he thought, but with the tears coming faster, he didn't speak it out loud. Count the stars on this moon of Ryloth. I love you more than that. I love you more than I loved anything ever. Don't you ever leave me again. My life's dark and worthless without you, sister.

Omega seemed to have heard his tiny sob, because she was crying too. She pulled away, smiled while waterfalls cascaded down her cheeks, and she wiped his cheek with her hands. He leaned in her touch. He wanted to feel these tiny hands in his large ones, these fingerprints on his face every day he lived. How can a war-torn galaxy make something so pure, so lovable, so innocent?

"Don't cry anymore, Hunter," she whispered, even though he was now holding his tears so she doesn't see them, hugging him again, which he reciprocated, "I'm here, I won't let you cry ever again!"

"I know, kid," Hunter said in a muffled voice, "with you by my side, you won't ever see me cry again."