“Do you want to talk about it?” Crosshair looked up from where he sat on the bed of Kix’s private examination room. The voice of the individual made him look up to see Tech had walked into the room and now was sitting beside him on the bed. “I have cancer” Crosshair admitted out-loud, something tightened in his chest making it harder to breathe. “I know” Tech’s answer had him looking up in shock, Tech sighed. “I figured it out months ago, I gathered what information I could and found your medication. Once I made the link it was only time until I worked out what you had”. “Why didn’t you ever approach me?” Crosshair asked, his nerves getting the better of him as his hands shook with fear. Soon enough a hand clasped his and another brought his chin up so his chocolate brown eyes met the hazel coloured ones of his twin. “The answer is simple, I know you and I love you. I know when you need help, you seek it out the best way you can and will only ask for help when it's majorly needed. It may be stubbornness or fear. But, I knew if I approached you, the result would be for you to run. I didn’t want to pressure you but I did keep a watch over what you had. I made sure I could help in any way, even if it meant giving you chocolate after a bad day of work. Crosshair, I’m not stupid, I’m your twin. Yes I am a bit mad, you never told me. I know eventually you would, whether it would be too late, it didn’t matter to you. I love you too much to let you suffer alone which is why I am going to have a word with Hunter for his attitude towards you. We both know we are not open books but you have to remember, it's us against the world. We are twins, we have something others don’t, so don't you ever think you’re going to let me down, understand little brother” Tech explained, he searched Crosshairs eyes as he spoke and stopped searching as soon as he found what he was looking for.
Crosshair smiled at his brother with one of his rare smiles but it didn’t last as he couldn’t help the sobs escape his throat, Tech quickly wrapped him up in his arms. “Also, little brother. Father’s death was not your fault, I promise you that”. Hearing these words allowed the flood gates to fully open, Crosshair cried into his brothers arms, he didn’t care anymore. Tech turned so Crosshair was facing away from the door in case any unexpected guests walked in, the first thing they would see was Tech’s deadly glare. Thankfully no one disturbed the two of them for quite a while. It took ten minutes for Crosshair to calm down. Through Tech’s reassurances and hugs, Crosshair managed to be relaxed within himself. “Cross, can I tell Echo and Wrecker?” Crosshair just nodded into his brother's chest. “Now is there anything else you would like to tell me while we wait for the rest of our idiots to get their heads out of their arses?” Tech’s words made his twin chuckle, the laugh was all Tech needed to smile. Crosshair sat up slightly but remained in Tech’s arms as he found his brother's hands interesting. Tech allowed Crosshair to play with his hands as the marksman took a calming breath, “Your going to be an uncle again” Crosshair admitted.
No sooner did he say that Tech turned Crosshair around to hug him tightly. “Cross! I’m so happy for you! So Omega is going to have another sibling?!” Crosshair nodded with a frown on his face, Tech’s smile faltered. “What is it, Cross?” “I don’t think me and Hunter are going to last?” Crosshair said with defeat in his tone. “What makes you say that?” Tech wondered as he wrapped his arms around his slighter shorter twin, Crosshair blamed the cancer for his height. Tech was taller than him now. The engineer smiled, enjoying it slightly while the other part of him was deadly worried for his brother's health.
“We have drifted too far apart and in our last argument, he mentioned Omega again. I just don’t want to disappoint the kid, she deserves a better father than me. Thats why she has Hunter. Also, Hunter…” Crosshair trailed off as the door opened revealing none other than Hunter, Omega, Hera, Echo and Wrecker. Tech shook his head signalling to his twin, they would finish this later on. Crosshair nodded in promise. He watched as Tech greeted Echo with a kiss, thankfully he was soon distracted by the gentle giant of the family. “How are you feeling Cross? You really scared us all when you collapsed outside, I thought something bad had happened with the way Kix carried you in” Wrecker mumbled into his ear, Crosshair just wrapped his arms around Wrecker and reassured him he would be alright for now.
“I’m…” Crosshairs speech failed, he looked at his twin with desperation who seemed to get the message. “Hera, Omega. Could you go find Kix please?” Tech asked the two girls who eagerly nodded and left the room leaving behind the bad batch. Tech shut the door signalling for his twin to carry on. Crosshair looked around the room only to see three sets of patient eyes and one annoyed. Turning his head away from Hunter and towards Echo, Wrecker and Tech, he said, “I’m not well, I’m sick and have been for quite a while”. Echo shared a look with Wrecker before the two took a step forward and sat on either side of him, “Come on Cross, you know you can tell us anything” Echo coaxed the marksman who took a deep breath, “I have cancer”. Wrecker's sharp intake of breath wasn’t missed by Crosshair who looked at the giant who stared back at him with gentle eyes. Wrecker immediately scooped him up and hugged him tightly, tears brimmed Wreckers eyes as he found comfort in holding the marksman. After a few minutes, he let go and Crosshair found himself turned around to meet Echo’s eyes, the police officer smiled at him slightly before pulling him in for a hug, “I will always be here for you no matter what. Just like when you never left my side when I had sepsis even when you went against orders” Echo’s whisper made a rare smile appear on Crosshairs features, it brought smiles all around.
A knock on the door alerted the group to a visitor, Hunter moved to open it, revealing none other than a smiling Amber being accompanied by Ahsoka who watched as her daughter ran up to the marksman to give him a gift. Crosshair took the small card and opened it. He smiled at the small drawing of his motorbike, himself, Amber and the sun shining down on them by what looked like a beach. “Thank you, I will put it with the others” Crosshair said as he kneeled to hug her, Amber squeezed back before she left the room with her mother. Crosshair sighed standing back up only to gasp when the room span and a bucket was thrust in his direction by none other than his smartass of a twin. “Easy Cross” Echo’s wise words reached his ears as he continued to vomit into the bucket. A groan left him, “Fucking Morning sickness” Crosshair cursed unaware of the four wide eyes, “Your pregnant!” a voice cried out from the doorway. Turning his head, Crosshair looked towards the door to see Fives and Rex looking at him wide eyed, they weren’t the only ones as Wrecker let out a cry of happiness followed by Echo bringing him into a hug and congratulating Hunter and him. Tech was watching from the side of the room the way Hunter reacted to the news, he saw the fake smiles. Turning to his twin, Tech felt dreadful. Crosshair looked heart-broken.
The marksman looked ready to break in his twin's eyes yet Crosshair kept his emotions in check and turned to sarcasm instead. Tech slipped from the room only to bump into Kix who smiled at him as he led the girls into Crosshairs room, the engineer continued on his way until he reached the men’s toilets. Unbeknownst to him another individual had followed him, he jumped when a hand grabbed his throat and pushed him into the wall.
“It’s been a while hasn’t it, Caleb” Tech gasped at the voice so close to him, the one pressing him against the wall. Tarkin. The hand travelled down his back, “I see you stayed in shape, not that I could blame you. I wouldn’t want to look in the mirror and see that everyday” Tech felt tears, he struggled to breathe as the hand travelled further down until it was yanked harshly away.
“GET THE HELL OFF HIM!” A voice angrily shouted out, Tech soon found arms wrapping around him in an almost comfort shield. He hid his face in those arms as he instantly recognised the orange scent of Echo’s shampoo.
“No harm done!” Tarkin called out as he was escorted out of the hospital by none other than a furious marksman.
“Watch your back Tristan, you can’t hide behind your barriers forever” Tarkin shouted as he walked away from the hospital. Jesse or the other officers couldn’t do anything as nothing had been reported or witnessed. Tech felt Echo’s arms tighten around him.
Crosshair remained where he was standing with clenched fists at the entrance of the private hospital wing, a hand on his shoulder made him jump prompting him to turn around to see Jesse and Kix standing opposite him with worried expressions. Crosshair allowed himself to be led back into the building and towards the private lounge where the marksman found Tech curled up in Echo’s arms. As soon as Crosshair came into Tech’s view, the engineer pulled his younger brother into a tight hug, Crosshair hugged back with promised words, “He will never go near you again, I promise you that”. Tech just nodded, holding his brother tightly to him. After a few more minutes of the twins holding each other, they let go of each other. “Crosshair, can I have a word please?” Jesse’s voice from the corridor made the marksman groan but he quickly moved along when Cody appeared. The marksman walked out of the room to report his phone call and what had just happened. After they took his information, Crosshair made to move away when a hand on his arm made him stop, looking up Crosshairs eyes connected with Cody’s.
“Crosshair, you need to inform Obi-one of your daughter's situation, he needs to know about Omega in case anything happens. I know you don’t trust many people but if Tarkin decides to go to court to fight you for Omega, Obi-one needs the information. With your past there's a chance that, you know” Cody explained, hoping to get through to the stubborn marksman who snatched his arm back, “You have my permission to tell him if it helps your constant need to bug me!” Crosshair yelled out of anger rather than anything else. Before things could escalate, Tech appeared beside his twin and Obi-one walked in.
“How about you tell me yourself, Crosshair?” Obi-one said with a look of disappointment. Crosshair frowned as he followed Obi-one into a private room with Tech and Cody following. Jesse stood at the door so they wouldn’t be disturbed. The group were unaware of the two young girls already hiding in the room from Hunter.
The four of them took a seat, Crosshair and Tech on one side of the room while Obi-one and Cody sat opposite them on the lounge sofas. “Now tell me the truth about Omega and how she came into your family’s arms. I promise nothing will leave this room unless I have your permission” Crosshair nodded at Obi-one’s words.
Crosshair took a deep breath as he remembered his past. Tech wrapped an arm around him in comfort.