Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Now, there’s a sight!” Wrecker bellowed.

Omega gasped. “Wrecker!”

They ran to meet each other. He laughed as he lifted and spun her around.

“I wasn’t even sure your message was real.”

“Wrecker,” she said, hugging him close. “I knew you’d show up.”

Wrecker knelt, placing her gently back on her feet. He wiped a few stray tears away. “We crossed the galaxy four times looking for you.”

“ Five ,” corrected a familiar gravelly voice. Hunter stepped out onto the stairs. “But you’re the one who found us.”

Omega ran to him as he started down the steps, knelt on the ground, and held his arms wide open to catch her.

“We missed you, kid. We never stopped searching,” he told her. He pulled back to look at her. He could barely believe that she was really here , right in front of him. “But… How did you escape?”

Omega sniffled a little as she wiped her face, her lips pulling into a small smile. “I had help.”

Another figure emerging from the stolen ship caught the eye of both Hunter and Wrecker. Omega smiled gently, hoping to encourage her nervous brother, but noticed how her brothers tensed.

The former sniper reached the bottom of the stairs, his gaze carefully neutral, and Omega watched as Hunter’s hands curled into fists and Wrecker’s jaw clenched, her brows furrowing slightly.

“Hunter?” she worried aloud.

“Wrecker, take Omega on board,” Hunter ordered quietly as he started towards his estranged squad member.

“Wait,” Omega protested as Wrecker placed a hand on her shoulder. “Maybe I can–”

“It’s alright, ‘Mega,” Wrecker assured her. “They’ll be okay.”

Omega hesitated, not sure if she could trust them to speak civilly on their own, but ultimately nodded and let Wrecker guide her onto the Marauder .

Crosshair met Hunter halfway.

“Crosshair,” Hunter whispered. 

Crosshair didn’t answer, simply waiting for what he was sure would be an onslaught of fury and vitriol.

“I- I didn’t expect to see you,” Hunter continued. 

Crosshair watched him carefully. It had been some time since Hunter was under the sniper’s intense gaze. “I’m not surprised.”

The men stood there, unease and distrust encircling them and threatening to swallow them whole.

Hunter broke first. “Cross,” he said, his eyes squeezing shut. “I… I’m sorry.”

Crosshair’s expression finally changed, neutrality slipping into surprise. 

“I didn’t know about the- the chips. It wasn’t… you that did all of that. You couldn’t help it, and I… I just accepted that. I didn’t… I didn’t fight for you like I should have.”

Crosshair’s eyes narrowed as he scrutinized his former sergeant. 

“Hunter,” Wrecker called from the ship’s door. “We gotta move.”

“You’re right,” Crosshair finally spoke. “You didn’t fight for me. Even after you knew.”

Their eyes met, and Hunter realized he wasn’t forgiven. And this conversation wasn’t over. Not yet.