SWTCW Oneshots (Mainly Clones) part 2

Stitches Torn Open

If you told Rex that he'd be seeing Echo again after Order 66, he wouldn't have believed you.

If you told Echo that he'd be seeing his Captain again after abandoning him for the Bad Batch, he also wouldn't believe you and would argue against it fiercely. He knows that anyone else would say he didn't abandon him, but he felt like he did.

He left Rex behind. He knew the Captain wanted him to stay but he always put everyone else before himself, which Echo found to be annoying. Rex mattered too.

After the order, and knowing Rex still had his chip in last he knew, he had a feeling Rex was either dead or with the Empire.

And he wasn't there.

...

Rex feels like he failed. He feels like he failed everyone. Fives, Kix, Hardcase, Tup, Jesse, and Echo...and everyone else.

He doesn't know why, he just feels like he did. The world was different and he was wandering around an abandoned shipyard where some Venators lay rusting and rotting.

It was a reminder of times past.

With him and Echo separated for who knows how long, probably forever. Hell, he had no clue if Echo or the Bad Batch were still alive.

His brothers were fierce and determined in their goal to follow orders. They'd stop at everything.

So when he saw the outline of a ship landing in the distance and the soft roar of its engines, he couldn't help the curiosity. From where he was, he couldn't recognize it, but as soon as he caught it in full view..

It was the Havoc Marauder.

But that shipped belong to the—

He lifted his helmet off of his head as stared, wide-eyed, as the ship's ramp hit the ground.

His heart was pounding.

The first ones he saw were Wrecker, Hunter, and Tech. They were followed by Crosshair, another kid he didn't know, and—

And—

"Echo?"

Rex ignored the way his voice wobbled.

The trooper's head snapped up at the voice. His eyes landed on him and were glued there.

And then he was barreling toward him.

"Rex!"

Rex dropped his helmet and opened his arms just in time for Echo to slam him to the ground in a tight hug.

He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as he sat up and held his sobbing brother to his chest. Echo was clawing at his back with his remaining hand.

"Hey.." the Captain croaked, rubbing the back of Echo's neck. Echo had his face buried in his neck. Hell, he could feel him shaking.

"Rex.." Echo repeated, holding onto him tighter. "Rex."

With a quick glance upward, Rex caught the small nod Hunter gave his way.

"I'm here.." He whispered. "I'm here, Echo."

"You have no idea.." Echo rasped, voice trembling. "You have no idea how much I missed you."

"I missed you too.." The Captain muttered. He pulled back and rested his hands on Echo's face. He definitely looked better. Less pale, and his face wasn't so thin anymore.

"You look a lot healthier."

Echo cracked a wobbly grin. "Thanks."

Rex pressed his forehead to his for a moment, a thoughtful look coming over his face, before he stood up. "Wait here."