Star Wars: Scars

Epilogue

Then everything changed.

He couldn't feel Haze's arms around him anymore. It all became dark and even though he snapped his eyes open, they were all gone. He was alone again. He whirled around, his heart hammering in his chest.

"Haze!"

He didn't see them anywhere, he didn't even know where he was. There were trees everywhere, a forest. Lunging forward he stumbled clumsily and fell, passing through the trunk of one of the trees. He gasped and looked down at his hands, finding them to be a shimmering blue.

He was dead.

He knew it, yet it felt surreal in itself. He was dead and yet...he was here. Wherever here was. It looked like a planet, but he couldn't be sure. Was this where he would find his brothers? Were they even here or had that been a dream.

His breath hitched at the prospect and he started up again frantically, stumbling through the forest.

"Haze!" he screamed, his voice hoarse as he started sobbing. He sank to his knees again, shaking. 

Then he heard another voice, softer and further off. It was faint, but he recognized it. He knew that voice. It was Chaos's voice, there was no mistaking it. 

But Chaos was alive. 

Creed started back to his feet, struggling a few steps but growing stronger as he made his way towards Chaos. He could feel some tug towards his brother and the closer he got, the stronger he became. He made it out of the trees and into a clearing where he now saw the walls of a base rising. Along the wall he saw the figure of his brother and started towards it. 

When he neared Chaos he found the man sitting outside the base with a young boy in his lap. The kid looked like the spitting image of Chaos as a cadet but with piercing blue eyes. 

"I miss my big brother," Chaos aid quietly, closing his eyes as he held the boy close. 

Creed watched the boy look up and press closer to Chaos, cocking his head.

"Was he nice?" the boy asked.

Chaos nodded and smiled. "Very. You would've liked him. He always smiled and made you laugh."

Creed smiled a little bit, moving closer as he watched the two. It almost hurt, but at the same time, a peaceful feeling of knowing he'd always be there to watch over Chaos pervaded. 

"Like you?" the boy asked in response to Chaos, smiling wide as he looked up at Chaos. 

Chaos paused, his eyes taking on a slightly quieter mournful tone. He looked off, his gaze missing Creed by a few inches.

"Better than me," he said softly.

The boy had a look of awe in his eyes as he answered. "Really? But you're the best!" He threw his arms around Chaos neck and hugged him tight.

Chaos smiled and hugged him back, his attention on the boy again. "Me? Nah, I'm just trying to make you happy again. At least until you go with Desin."

The boy's expression faded and he looked up. "I don't wanna go with her. I wanna stay with you forever," he whined. His gaze lifted to the starry night sky. "You're like my daddy."

Creed's eyes followed the boys, wondering if the boy's father was up there somewhere with Haze and Dawn and Skate and the others. 

"You don't wanna go with her?" Chaos asked, drawing Creed's attention back to him. 

"She's fun, but I like you better," the boy answered firmly. "You make me feel safe." 

Chaos grinned and leaned back, pulling the boy close. "Then I'll just have to stick around, won't I?" he asked and the boy nodded. Creed could see his eyes were on the stars again, though.

Taking the opportunity as Chaos also looked up, Creed moved behind him and rested a hand on his vod'ika's shoulder firmly. 

"I love you, vod'ika," he whispered, knowing his voice would be lost the the wind. Even though, he hoped in some way Chaos might hear him. 

He stood there a moment, following Chaos' gaze to the stars. The same stars Creed had always told Chaos to look for him in should he ever leave. He didn't know if Chaos remembered, or if he still knew, but Creed hoped he knew he'd always be there watching over him. He would never leave, even if Chaos couldn't see him.

As he stood there he felt a hand rest gently on his shoulder and Creed looked up, his breath hitching slightly in surprise and happiness. 

Haze stood there, briefly following everyone else's gaze before looking down at Creed and smiling softly. He pulled Creed close into a tight hug. For a long moment, he just held him. 

Creed clung to him, afraid to let go. Finally, though, he pulled away and looked up, confirming that Haze was still there. 

Haze just took his hand gently. 

"C'mon, lad, let me show you the stars."