Safe and Sound (Star Wars: The Bad Batch AU)

Chapter 13

Rafa couldn't sleep. The events of the day replayed in her head like a little kid playing Baby Shark. She was in the living room and had been pacing back and forth for the past hour. She bumped into someone. She looked up, her eyes taking a moment to adjust to the dark. It was Hunter.
"Great, look what the cat dropped in," Rafa walked to the opposite side of the room.
"Can't we just talk about this in the morning?" Hunter sighed, "I'm really not in the mood right now."
"Oh, ho ho we're talking about it now. Would you like to explain how you made such a careless mistake this morning?"
"You don't think I realize that? Do you really think I don't feel guilty about what happened? Because of me, I hurt Omega. I don't expect you to understand," He turned from her.
Rafa was shocked. That ignorant di'kut, "You didn't come to think about how much guilt that I've felt over the past 8 years? Because of my actions, I've hurt my own daughter and the man that I love, more than you ever could!"
The shadows hid Hunter's reaction.
Well crap, Rafa thought. That was embarrassing.

Hunter was stumped, dumbfounded- his heart softened. She... she loves me? And she actually cared about us? About Omega?
Rafa mumbled something before walking past Hunter.
"Wait-" Hunter grabbed her arm, "Did you really mean it?"
She looked at Hunter.
"What you said-"
"Hunter, if you don't feel the same way, I understand," She said, trying to hide the pain and embarrassment in her voice.
Hunter wasn't sure if he should say it. He sighed, "The day I signed the divorce papers was one of the saddest days in my life."
"Then why'd you do it?" Rafa asked him.
Hunter looked away, letting go of Rafa, "Because I didn't know what else to do. I tried to get you to stop doing what you did, but you didn't."
"And look at where we are now. So, you decided to cut ties with everyone? You can't just leave your family like that, especially in the like of work that we're in," Rafa folded her arms.
"Because I didn't really leave. With me living in the neighboring state, we were able to do more jobs, expand our territory. A week before they would visit, they would tell me where a delivery or package would be waiting for them, or where it needed to be dropped off."
"But I thought you didn't-"
"I stopped doing any type of tactical related missions. All I had to do was grab a box and hide it until one of my brothers came," Hunter explained.
"That does explain quite a bit," Rafa admitted.

Hunter tried to come up with what to say next, but nothing came up. Neither could Rafa. So they just stood there, accepting what just happened. "You know what?" Rafa clasped her hands, "It's late. I should probably go back to bed."
Hunter gave a slight nod. Rafa left the room.
"Rafa?"
Rafa peeked her head back into the room, "Hm?"
"Er, good night," Hunter said awkwardly.
Rafa gave a small smile, "Good night, Hunter."