Crosshair sat on the edge of the bed, watching Iden sleep peacefully. It had been a day since he'd apologized, and they'd spent the entire prior day barely leaving the bedroom, snacking on whatever they could find in the kitchen as they reacquainted themselves with one another after their week apart. Now as he watched the morning light start to filter into the bedroom again, he felt conflicted about waking her, but there was something he wanted to do. His fingers traced along her temple, pushing some hair out of her face before dragging along her collarbone and coming to gently grip her shoulder.
"Iden."
Her eyebrows knit together in annoyance, and he couldn't help but smile at her sleepy indignance. Leaning forward, he pressed a kiss to her forehead before saying her name again softly.
"Wake up, darling."
"Tickles," she mumbled.
"Hm?"
She opened one bleary eye, affixing him with a surprisingly piercing gaze. "Your beard. Tickles my cheeks when you kiss my face."
"Remember, you said it would look good."
"I did. But that doesn't mean I won't complain about the drawbacks." Rolling onto her back, she stretched, wiggling her toes under the sheets and flexing her wrists over her head. "So what's got you up so early?"
"We're going somewhere."
She raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "No further details?"
"You'll find out when we get there."
"Reassuring."
Leaning down, he tossed a shirt at her, hitting her in the face. She glowered at him, but he ignored her, pushing himself to his feet. "Dress warm. And wear comfortable boots."
Iden watched him carefully for a few more seconds before apparently accepting that she would garner no further details from him. Stepping out of bed, she began searching for some undergarments, swaying her hips enticingly as she rummaged through the small dresser in the corner. "Fine then, have it your way, oh mysterious one."
He strode down the hall to the kitchen, where he threw some food and a thermos of caf into a pack before heading to the living room and retrieving the Firepuncher's bag from beneath the couch. Iden emerged as he straightened, tucking her hair up under a cap. She eyed the Firepuncher, raising an eyebrow inquisitively. "Do I need to come armed?"
"You should always carry a blaster, Lieutenant," he teased. "But no, I'm not taking you into a fight."
Iden narrowed her eyes at him as she strapped her holster to her thigh before pulling on a jacket. "I don't get why you're being so cryptic right now."
"Part of my charm," he replied, handing her the pack with food. "Carry this."
"Oh, I see, you're just bringing me along as a pack carrier. I have other uses, you know."
"I'm well aware." He rested his hands on her shoulders before leaning down and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Just trust me. Now come on, we've got a ways to hike."
The sun was just above the horizon as they exited the dwelling. Their breath hung in the air as a swirling mist in the chill and the ground sparkled with an early morning frost. Crosshair pulled up the collar of his jacket before jerking his head at Iden for her to follow. He led her down a few side streets until they were at the city limit. As he strode towards the tree line of the surrounding forest, he heard her pause for a moment before apparently deciding he couldn't be that far out of his mind and resuming her pace behind him.
They hiked for a little over an hour, Crosshair leading Iden through the trees and over several foothills, the only sound being the crunching of their boots against the frosty ground and the occasionally labored breathing when there was a change in elevation. Finally, he grinned when he saw the clearing he'd pinpointed on the maps. Taking his binocs from his hip, he scanned the area to ensure they were completely alone before stepping out of the trees. He assumed in the spring, this area would be littered with wildflowers, but now, the grass was yellow and dead, the trees finally relenting to the oncoming winter and beginning to drop their auburn leaves. After about twenty meters, Crosshair stopped, taking the rifle bag off his back and kneeling down on the ground. Iden stood in front of him, inspecting the area.
"Alright, care to enlighten me as to what we're doing all the way out here, Toothpick? Not that I don't enjoy a brisk morning hike as much as the next person, but-"
"Come down here."
She paused, her teasing smile faltering slightly as she looked down at him. He had the bag open and was kneeling in front of it. He gestured at the ground across from him. "Sit."
Iden slowly sank to the ground, her eyebrows furrowing.
"What are we doing out here, Crosshair?"
He inhaled deeply, searching for the right words. "You said you wanted me to trust you completely, and I don't know a better way of showing you that I do other than this." Reaching down, he flipped the edges of the bag open, exposing the glinting metal of his rifle's parts inside. "You always compare this rifle to me having a child, and in a way, you're not far off. I've never had any kids to care for aside from Omega, and even that's not the same. But this weapon is my life. They put it in my hands as soon as my aptitude for sharpshooting was recognized, and I've spent years working on it, modifying it. It's saved my life and the lives of my brothers countless times. Aside from you, this might be the thing that means the most to me in my life." He didn't miss the way her eyes averted shyly at the mention of how much she meant to him. He continued, "So, in order to show you how much I trust you, I want to show you how to assemble this rifle, how to shoot it. Not just like we did on Naboo. I want you to be skilled with it, and if there's ever a time where I'm not... around, then I want you to have it. And I want it to keep you safe in the same way it's protected me. Got it?"
He finally met her gaze, trying to gauge her reaction. The night before, he'd laid awake for several hours, trying to come up with a gesture he felt would convey his trust. Now, as the seconds ticked by, he started to worry that maybe this was a bad idea, and he began bracing himself for one of Iden's snarky comments. However, she nodded quietly, crawling a little closer to the bag.
"Alright. Show me then."
Relief washed over him as she settled in, listening intently as he walked her through the assembly of the rifle. He made sure to point out any particular sticking points in the assembly or things she should be aware of, and Iden interjected questions on occasion to ensure she understood. Once the rifle was assembled, he disassembled it, repeating the process of walking her through anything she should know or be wary of. Once it was completed, he gestured down at the parts between them.
"Your turn."
Iden was a quick study, and he felt a swell of pride in his chest as she snapped the pieces together efficiently, only needing one or two minor corrections the first time. There was never a question as to why they were doing this; as a former Naboo guard, she understood the importance of intimately knowing all the ins and outs of the weapon you're holding without him having to lecture her, and as her fingers moved across the metal, he could see shades of former lieutenant flickering within her. The woman I first fell in love with. Her fingers moved quickly and efficiently, tightening bolts and checking calibrations before moving on, her eyes carefully focused on the balance of things, her mouth drawn in a thin, tight line. They repeated the assembly and disassembly a few more times until she could almost do it faster than he could.
Once he was satisfied, he picked up the rifle, extending a hand down to help her to her feet. "Now we shoot." Pulling her out to the middle of the clearing, he walked to a tree that was roughly twenty meters away, pulling some chalk from his pocket and marking a crude 'X' on the trunk before returning to her.
"Alright, you remember how to do this?"
She gave him a playful smirk. "If I say 'no', will you show me like you did last time?"
He rolled his eyes before coming to stand behind her, resting his hands on her hips and nudging her feet with his. She tucked the rifle against her shoulder, letting her finger slip to the trigger as if she'd practiced it a hundred times. As Crosshair leaned forward to rest his chin on her shoulder, memories of Naboo flashed to the front of his mind. How his hands had slightly trembled the last time she'd held his rifle like this as he'd rested them on her hips. He breathed in her scent more easily this time as he gazed down the rifle's barrel with her.
"One eye or two?"
"Still two."
He hummed indifferently.
"Two, like my father taught me."
He hadn't known what had happened to her parents then, but now, there was no way he was going to question anything tied to their memories.
"Elbow strong."
"Yes sir," she whispered back teasingly.
He felt her hold her breath, her back tightening against his abdomen as she lined up her shot before squeezing the trigger. The bolt hit the tree a few centimeters left of center.
"Again."
"No feedback?"
"Your form is good. It's a matter of getting a feel for it. Repetition." He nodded at the tree. "Again."
After another hour, Iden was consistently hitting the target dead on and was beginning to wear a hole clean through the trunk. She was all business, never even taking a moment to indulge in leaning back into Crosshair's body as he stood behind her. He admired it, but also found his fingers itching to hold her tighter with every bolt that landed on the target. She's truly something else.
Once he was satisfied that she was keyed in at this range, Crosshair took his chalk back out, moving to the far end of the clearing, roughly fifty meters from where Iden stood, marking the tree there with another 'X' before returning back to her. Iden was already sighting through the scope as he approached.
"Anything I should account for with additional distance?"
He smiled at the question. "Slight drop in the bolt over time. Not much, but enough to where it'll matter once you start shooting at distances measured in klicks. You should start to notice it at this distance."
"Wind?"
"Rarely impacts blaster bolts. You'd have to be shooting in a gale to note a difference."
"Which I assume you've done."
"I have," he smirked. "But I can't exactly control the weather to simulate that environment."
"How disappointing," she snarked before lining up the shot. She inhaled sharply, held it, and fired. Crosshair pulled his binocs from his hip to see where the shot had landed. "A little high. You overcompensated for the drop. You'll get it with practice. Again."
After another few hours, they took a break to munch on some of the food Crosshair had packed. The day had warmed up significantly, Raxus's autumn not completely surrendering to the winter just yet. They'd both stripped out of their coats, and Crosshair had rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, trying to take in some of the warmth that had been absent the last few weeks. He watched as Iden popped a piece of dried fruit into her mouth, tipping her head back and closing her eyes as the sun kissed her skin.
"Can I ask you something," he said quietly.
She opened one eye, looking at him curiously. "Of course."
"You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but the first time you shot with me, you told me your father taught you to aim with two eyes. I was just curious how old you were when you first learned to shoot."
Iden hummed thoughtfully as she chewed, her eyes reaching for some distant point. "It was about the time that the Trade Federation showed up on Naboo. My father quickly realized that shortages were going to reach our village with the blockade, and he knew there might be a time where he and my mother might not be able to defend us, so he took me out to a meadow one day with the old family blaster and his rifle and taught me to shoot. He wanted me to be able to use both in case I needed to hunt for food or defend the house." She paused, picking at a blade of the dead yellow grass. "A few weeks later, I shot one of the burglars that came into our home and killed my parents. Didn't get out completely unscathed, but I survived." Her fingers absently trailed over her abdomen right where her scar was.
"You don't talk about your parents much."
She nodded. "The memories hurt. There was so much happiness and love and laughter. And then...there wasn't." She swallowed hard. "But, I find the memories are starting to slip away a bit. I can't quite remember what their faces look like any more. Nisa had the last holo of them, and I assume she took that with her. So." She shrugged with a sense of finality. "Is what it is."
Crosshair leaned back on his elbows, watching her. "You know, if talking about them more would help you remember, I'd be more than willing to listen."
Iden met his eyes, still picking at the grass. She nodded wordlessly, releasing a deep shuddering breath. The silence hung between them for another few minutes before she spoke, changing the topic.
"You think Hunter will pull us out of here?"
He sighed. "I'm not sure. I hope not, but I'll understand why if he does."
She picked up a small rock, running her thumb over it before tossing it somewhere. "I should probably tell him about Nisa."
"No you shouldn't."
"You told him about Rampart. It's only fair I disclose my risk as well."
"Technically, Howzer told him about Rampart. And I think the decision to tell him should be yours. You know the risk the best."
"Like you did?"
"I never said that." He flicked a toothpick between his teeth before lying all the way back, tucking his jacket under his head as a pillow as he gazed up at the cloudless sky. "I know I wasn't being objective when I kept that from him. But I think you can be. So I leave it up to you."
"She threatened to have me arrested if she saw me again."
Crosshair turned his head to look at her. They'd never discussed what had been said the night Iden had gone to meet Nisa, and he'd never felt like he'd had the right to ask, but now, curiosity was getting the better of him, and he felt like wading into the waters.
"Do you believe her?"
"I do. I think."
The doubt in her voice made his brow furrow. "What is it, Iden?"
Iden sighed, flopping down on the ground next to him and scooting closer so that their shoulders were touching. "I'm not sure. There was something about that conversation that's still bothering me. Nisa's no fool. Misguided perhaps, but not someone that would wholeheartedly buy into just anything. When I told her some of the things Rampart had done, I could see...something. Like an inkling of doubt for just a second." She rubbed her hands over her face in exasperation. "I'm not sure if I was just seeing what I wanted to or not." She paused, folding her hands on her chest. "I asked her to come with us."
Crosshair flicked the toothpick with his tongue, choosing his words cautiously. "I'm going to assume she declined that offer."
"Astute as always, Toothpick."
Crosshair turned his head to look at her, and she met his gaze, their noses almost brushing. "I'm going to ask you something, and I want you to answer it as objectively as you can, alright?" he said softly.
She nodded, but he could see the bob of her throat as she swallowed hard.
"Is Anisia worth saving?"
He could see the question surprised her, but she didn't immediately recoil or get angry. Her teeth dug into her lip. "I understand why you're asking," she finally replied quietly. "It's because she's willingly choosing to be an Imperial."
He nodded, not saying anything.
Iden took a deep breath before continuing. "But she's my younger sister, and if there's any chance at all of saving her from this, I have to try. I owe her that much." She rolled onto her side, and he matched her, allowing her fingers to slide into his. "I may not succeed at the end of the day, and I'll have to prepare for that. But I have to try."
Crosshair reached up, brushing some of her hair out of her eyes. I wonder if Hunter ever had a thought like this when I was gone. Even as the question ran through his mind, he already knew the answer. They came after me after I'd already told them no once. They still came for me. Sighing, he cupped the back of her head, pulling her forehead to his.
"I understand. And I'll support you in this."
She nodded against his forehead, closing her eyes. A tear slid from the corner of her eye, trailing down her nose. He reached up and brushed it away.
"I trust you, Iden."
She opened her eyes, that same odd expression that fell somewhere between about eight different emotions creeping across her features as she looked at him. Propping herself up on one elbow, she leaned over him, cupping his cheek and kissing him gentler than she ever had. His hand slipped around to tangle in her hair as she worked her lips against his before separating, staring down at him.
"I love you," she whispered.
It took Crosshair a moment to figure out what about the statement struck him, and then he realized it was because she'd only ever said it to him unprompted the first time she'd said it at all, back on Naboo. She leaned down, resting her forehead against his, stroking his cheek.
"I love you so much," she repeated.
"I love you too, Iden."
They laid like that for several more moments, staring at one another as they lay in the grass before Iden chuckled.
"What?" he asked.
"I've got to pee like a racing fathier," she joked.
He tipped his head back and laughed loudly at that. "Bushes are over there."
She wrinkled her nose. "Great."
---
They shot for several more hours before making the trek back down to the city. This time, Iden stuck closer to Crosshair, slipping her hand into his after the first fifteen minutes. He looked down at her, but she just kept her eyes forward. He smiled to himself, raising her hand to his lips and brushing a kiss across her knuckles. She ducked her head to hide her grin, and his stomach flushed with warmth.
The sun had just sunk below the horizon when they finally returned to their dwelling. Crosshair slipped the Firepuncher's bag back under the couch as Iden stripped off her coat. Coming to stand behind her, he took the coat by the collar as she shrugged out of it, hanging it on its hook by the door before undoing his own jacket and hanging it up.
"Crosshair."
He turned to see Iden was looking at the comm on the table. It was flashing, indicating a message was waiting for them. They met each other's eyes before he nodded, stepping forward and reading it.
"It's Hunter. He wants us to comm when we get a chance." He looked at her. "I'll call him now."
She nodded. "I'll go heat up some food. Do you want anything?"
He gripped her arm gently. "Stay. I want you to be here for this." It was very different from all of the calls he'd taken privately, afraid of her walking in and exposing him, and the significance wasn't lost on her.
"Ok."
She sank onto the couch next to him as he placed the holopad in the center of the table in front of them, punching in Hunter's frequency. It only took a few seconds for his glowing blue form to spring into view. Crosshair internally cringed. He was waiting for it.
"Where've you been?" the sergeant demanded. "I've been trying to comm you all day. We were a few hours away from sending out a scout to see if you'd been captured."
"Sorry," Crosshair deadpanned. "Went out hiking and left my comm here."
"Hiking?"
Crosshair shrugged nonchalantly. "Better than strolling around town where we might be seen, I imagine."
Hunter sighed in exasperation before scrubbing his hand over his face. "Alright, well next time, take a comm or send us a message or something."
"I assume you called for a reason other than to scold me."
Hunter glowered at him for a second. "Yes, it's been decided that you should stay and complete the mission. We really need to figure out what's going on in the other half of that factory, so you are to return to work. Ultimately, it was decided that was worth the risk, even with Rampart there."
The language Hunter was using was intentional, distancing himself from the decision, and the meaning behind it didn't go unnoticed by Crosshair. "You don't agree?"
Hunter hesitated before sighing, his tongue darting out as he very carefully chose his words. "I think the risk is too great." He paused, looking Crosshair in the eye. "You're my brother. I've already lost you once. I'm not exactly objective when it comes to your safety."
Crosshair's gut twisted a bit at that. He wasn't sure if it was the conversation with Iden about Nisa that afternoon and the subsequent realization or just the final bit of resentment that he might have been holding over for Hunter slipping away, but something within him softened at his brother's words.
"We'll be careful, Hunter. I promise. Nothing foolish."
The sergeant's expression shifted to something slightly surprised. He stared at Crosshair for a few more seconds, clearly assessing him as much as he could before he nodded.
Crosshair glanced over to Iden, but she shook her head subtly.
She's not going to tell him about Nisa. Alright.
Hunter didn't appear to note the exchange, pressing forward. "We have noticed an increase in Imperial activity monitoring comm channels since Howzer's escape, so to play it safe, we're going to cease the regular debriefs. Only call if you have something to report. Otherwise, radio silence."
Crosshair nodded. "Howzer?"
"Made it out safely with Gerrera." Hunter grimaced. "Heard that was an interesting exchange."
"Nothing I hadn't earned."
Hunter gave him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. I wasn't told who was coming to get him."
"It's fine. Is Howzer going to Yavin?"
"He'll lie low with Gerrera's crew for a bit before we decide what to do with him. I imagine he'll eventually make his way here." Hunter paused, grinning. "Speaking of making their way here, your favorite Jedi arrived a few days ago. With Rex in tow."
Crosshair's eyes widened at that. "Didn't think we'd hear from her in a while."
"Yeah, she didn't seem to think she'd be back here that soon either. She hadn't told Rex about Naboo, so you can imagine how that went over."
Crosshair chuckled at that. "I'm sure the captain took that very well."
"Well enough. They've already made up, it would seem."
Iden snickered next to him, and he turned to look at her. "I'm assuming that's the captain she's been pining after all this time?"
"The one and only."
"Well, good for them," Iden teased. "I look forward to meeting the captain that captured Master Aven's heart."
"Atiniir now," Crosshair reminded her, and she rolled her eyes.
"Whatever. She could have chosen a surname with a different initial if she wanted me to remember it more easily."
He smirked at her before turning back to Hunter, who was trying to stifle a grin at Iden's remarks. "Regardless, I'm sure they'll be happy to see you both when you get back. Senna's already been asking after the two of you."
"Tell her we say 'Hello' and 'please don't kill our friends with your caf'," Iden replied, and Hunter chuckled.
"I'll be sure to pass that along." The sergeant sobered slightly. "That's all I've got for now. You two be careful. I mean it. If things get hairy and you need a ride, you comm immediately. We'll come and get you as quick as we can."
"Understood."
Hunter nodded. "Stay safe."
"We will."
Crosshair leaned forward to turn end the call before settling back on the couch. Iden turned to face him.
"How do you feel?"
"Relieved, I suppose," he replied. "Regardless of how I feel about Rampart, I think we can do good work."
She grinned, sliding her hand around his and squeezing. "We can. And we will. Now let's get some food and then get to bed. It's back to work for the two of us tomorrow."
Iden stood, heading to the kitchen to heat up some of their food. Crosshair lingered on the couch, turning everything over in his mind.
We can do some good, and we will.