SWTCW Oneshots (Mainly Clones) part 2

Changes pt. 3

When he woke up, his wound hurt. His stomach was aching and he struggled to push himself to his feet.

Echo.

He—He had to find Echo. Or Cody..

But Echo got thrown—Echo—

He stumbled along the debris from the scrapped Venator, looking for any signs of life.

None.

It was dark, so the low, eerie mist covering the surface of the planet made it hard to see.

"Echo?" He called, voice a rasp. "Cody?"

He collapsed to his knees a few times, but pushed himself back up. The 3rd time, he tripped over something,

What...

Rex pushed himself back up and turned around. His eyes widened. "Echo!"

There was blood everywhere.

He collapsed back to the ground, shakily reaching out to touch his brother's face. "Echo..?"

Nothing.

"Echo, wake up!" He gathered him into his arms, trying to keep the panic at bay. "Echo!"

Echo groaned. His eyelids fluttered, but as soon as he sucked in a short breath, he broke out into a coughing fit. Rex's stomach dropped at the blood bubbling up from his throat,

He cradled him as gently as he could, tapping the side of his face. "H-Hey..."

His brother's eyes finally slid open, though his eyes lacked the energy and life that they held when he saw him only a few hours before.

They locked onto him, though struggling to stay there as he coughed up more blood.

"Rex.."

"Echo," He croaked. "Echo, I'm sorry.."

"No.." Echo muttered. It was clear that he couldn't completely fill his lungs with air. "No..I-it's...it's not your..your fault.."

He swallowed convulsively, eyes drifting down to the blood covering Echo's torso and the side of his face. He was still looking up at him, lips twitching into the faintest hint of a smile.

"I just..I just gotta get you up. We can find the others and they'll help you," Rex tried to help the beaten trooper to his feet, but he didn't make it far before he crumpled with a strangled moan, which sounded slightly gurgled from the blood in his throat.

Echo shook his head, face tightened in pain. "I..I can't. I can't get up. You..you gotta.."

"No! I am not losing you too. You're not going to die here. I promise!"

Echo reached his hand up to wipe at the tears gathering on Rex's face. He coughed up more blood. "It's...it's okay.."

His voice was only a mere whisper. Rex realized he didn't have the strength to speak up much louder, so he brought him closer. Echo pulled his head down and pressed his forehead to his own as he talked to him.