Hunter's fist clenched into a tight ball, hard enough for him to feel his nails digging into his hand through the black glove that protected it from the unforgiving frosty, bitter air. Crosshair's words echoed loudly in his overwhelmed head.
You let Omega be taken to Tantiss
She went through what she did because you failed.
You're angry because she escaped with MY help, not yours
The sniper's attacks hurt him to his core. He wasn't sure if it was because he couldn't think of a better insult to recover from the hits, or if it was because what Crosshair said was true. He was angry. Angry at himself for not being there sooner. For leaving Omega alone all those months. Every day she remained missing he wondered if she thought he had given up on her. How many times had her brain tricked her into thinking she was being rescued every time the door to her cell slid open?
He couldn't save her.
He didn't save her.
Hunter stood at a still, only able to glare furiously into his brother's cold, icy stare as the sniper waited for the sergeant's reply to the harsh spoken truth of the matter, the crux of his internal struggle with Crosshair's return.
Hunter stepped forward, opening his mouth to reply with a childish remark when the ground from below shook. The conversation would have to end there. Crosshair won... like he usually did.
"Move!" Hunter shouted as he tackled the sniper to the ground before the ice broke from under both of them.
Later
Hunter scolded. He could hurt later. Distracting the worm was the priority, not his feelings.
~~~
Hunter shrugged, a faint smile on his lips as he stepped onto the Marauder's ramp as he finished his sentence, "...There just might be hope for us yet."
He didn't wait for Crosshair's reply. Somehow, he knew there wouldn't be one. The two had come to a silent understanding. While they may not have agreed with each other's actions, what they made of their decisions now was more important than reminiscing on the broken past. They would learn to work together again in time.
Once aboard the ship, Hunter excused himself to his bunk; the events of the mission finally caught up to him. From falling through a weak spot in the ground to barely making the jump onto the protected land had him tuckered out. The sergeant removed his helmet, setting it aside as he laid down and closed his eyes.
"Hunter?"
Omega's sweet, concerned voice infiltrated his ear. Reopening his tired eyes, his body immediately froze with a response caught in his throat. Omega was dressed in a bland grey uniform, the imperial insignia patched onto her right arm. She was sitting on an examination table adjacent to him, looking at him with knitted brows.
"Omega...?" Hunter sat himself up. "What's happening?" Hands rushed to his face to feel for reality. How was he here? Wasn't he just on the Marauder?
"You finally came." Omega hopped off the table. "I thought you forgot about me." Her eyes held a look of a heavy sadness as she took a step toward him.
Hunter watched carefully as Omega approached She looked the same aside from her new imperial attire.
"Kid, what is this place?"
Omega gave him a perplexed expression as if he had just asked the stupidest question.
"Tantiss," she said casually.
"How?" Hunter asked. "I'm not supposed to be here."
"And I am?" Omega spat, retreating slowly back to the medical table. "You let him take me, Hunter."
Hunter's heart sank at her sentence.
"No—"
"I waited for you."
The room changed from the lab to a tiny room consisting of a hard, uncomfortable bed and a leaky sink.
Omega stood on the bed gazing outward through the barred off window.
"I thought you cared enough to save me," she whispered, glancing at the wall to the right of the window. Hunter's eyes followed, catching sight of the little scratches carved into its side.
"Oh, kid..." A lump formed in his throat.
Omega turned around, eyes fierce with anger, burning a permanent hole into the sergeant's heart .
"You let me rot in here for five months!"
Hunter shook his head frantically. "We were looking, we tried—"
Omega huffed, rolling her eyes. "Obviously not enough." She rolled up her sleeves. Hunter's eyes were drawn to the dark scars of the needles responsible.
He was almost afraid to ask. "What did they do to you?"
"Experiments, blood samples..."
"I'm sorry." Hunter stepped forward, raising a hand out to her. "I'm here now, and I promise to protect you. I won't let them hurt you again."
Omega hesitated, retreating back from him. "I—"
"Omega," the cell door swooshed open as a dark haired man stood intimidatingly in the dark, "I'm afraid your presence is needed."
Omega fearfully rushed behind Hunter who already made a protective gesture to stand between her and the doctor.
"She's not going anywhere with you!" Hunter hissed, fists at the ready.
Hemlock ignored him, walking past the male clone without a care in the world
"What the—" Hunter sputtered as Hemlock reached right through him, gaining easy access to the child he was guarding.
"No! Hunter!" Omega screeched as Hemlock latched onto her upper arm with a death-like grip, pulling her along. "Help me! Hunter! Please, don't let him take me again!"
"Quiet, child. Hunter is not here, nor will he ever be," the scientist chided.
Hunter lunged at the man, fueled by rage.
No damage.
"No!" the sergeant roared with frustration.
It was all happening again.
"Hunter..." Omega cried, tears falling down her pale cheeks, "Save me!"
Hunter ran after her, attempting to grab her, each time the same.
"I-I...can't!"
The last sound he heard was Omega's petrified screams echoing through the grey halls as the lab doors shut.
"Omega!" Hunter shot up, sweat dripping down his neck and into his blacks.
The hallway disappeared, morphing back into the familiar design of the Havoc Marauder.
Hunter swung his legs over the edge of his bunk, taking in a shaky breath as he buried his head into his hands. It was a nightmare. Just a nightmare. It wasn't real. Omega was safe. Crosshair was safe. Hemlock was somewhere else in the galaxy without any lead of their whereabouts. But, what if the doctor was preparing to come back even more powerful than before to destroy all Hunter had left. Hemlock already took one brother away, and for an agonizing amount of time, his kid. What if he wasn't strong enough to keep his family together. What if—
"Hunter?"
Hunter glanced up, meeting Omega's worried eyes focused on him.
"Are you okay?"
Hunter felt his face heat up. She most likely heard him calling for her when he woke up from his dream. The dream where he failed her.
"Yeah, kid," he replied with a trembling voice, "I'm okay." A complete bold face lie. He doubted Omega bought it anyways.
"I don't believe you." She gave him a sad smile.
Hunter couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. "I can't get anything past you, can I?"
"Not when I know you're hurting," Omega answered softly.
"I had a dream...I wasn't able to save you from Hemlock. I failed you...again. I'm sorry, kid—"
The sergeant was surprised by the sudden impact of Omega's body hitting him square in his chest.
"You didn't fail me, Hunter." Her words were muffled by the fabric of his undershirt.
"I let him take you though—If I had tried harder then maybe—"
Omega clutched onto him harder. "If it's my forgiveness you want, you have it," she pulled away, eyes glassy, "but I never once blamed you for any of it, I swear."
Hunter looked at his kid with watery eyes of his own. How did he end up so lucky?
"He's not going to take you again. I promise. I will do everything in my power to protect you."
Omega nodded, throwing her arms back around his neck.
"I trust you."
Happy Friday!!
Okay, so those episodes were intense and I am not well😀👍🏽 I'm so scared for what's to come. But real quick, THE CROSSDAD CONTENT OMG😭❤️🩹 HE IS FATHERING HARD I LITERALLY LOVE HIM SM🥹🤲🏽