Mother? Who's My Father? (Modern AU)

Chapter 11

Another sigh escaped him as he headed straight for the garden’s edge, his eyes blurred slightly as he continued past the fence towards the pier that the others were lucky to have. Silently he walked until he couldn’t no more, he found himself sitting on the edge of the pier, his legs above the calm waves of the waters below. The waves bouncing off the wooden pier that he was sure needed to be renovated but those things cost money, his thoughts drifted back to his childhood. One of pain and destruction, he ignored the memories and just thought about the time where he had utterly nothing and yet the others loved him. He just didn’t understand why they wanted to still be with him, yes he was the mother to Hera but was he anything else? His mind was foggy as his wrist watch beeped alerting him to take a deep breath, he did so and braced himself for someone to appear. Scooping up the oxygen nasal mask, he placed it on and continued to watch the sun continue to set, tears slipped down his face. 

The faint feeling of footsteps didn’t have him turning around but it did have him blinking his tears away especially since they were softer footfalls, he stood up only to turn and open his arms, soft smaller arms wrapped around his hips. 

“I love you mama” 

“Love you turtle” 

Hera grinned up at him until she spotted the dried tears, he kneeled down so she could wipe them away. 

“They will forgive you” Hera whispered, Crosshair could only let a few more tears slip. 

“No, they won’t. Hera, I am happy that you have found the family you have wanted but I don’t think this is for me. I can’t sit at the table of the same family members to those who had been killed because of me. I’m not strong enough, I can’t keep this from them any longer and…” Crosshair allowed more tears to slip as Hera dived for his chest, he lifted her into his arms and climbed to his feet. Tears slipped down both of their faces, Hera cried knowing that Crosshair was potentially leaving by living separately to what they had built while Crosshair was crying due to the dead secrets about to be exposed. Pain spread through his side as he swayed on the spot, humming a tune she had known since she was a baby. Her mother always sang it to keep her close to his chest.

"Mama?" 

"Hmmm?" 

"Can we go skiing for my birthday?" Hera questioned, Crosshair looked down. He went to nod when he thought about the request. 

"As a holiday. We aren't running anymore" Crosshair said, kissing her hairline. Hera nodded, "will they be coming?" Hera gestured to the others, "It depends on money and if you want them there" Crosshair whispered. 

"I will ask…" Hera whispered, kissing his cheek as he walked into the home with her still on his hip. He ignored their looks as he felt no pain in his side. Something he realised was a feeling from within than his actual injury. 

"Would you like some food?" Echo gestured at the pasta, Crosshair stared at the food for a minute only to freeze slightly. He knew one thing, he wouldn't be able to interact with them properly unless he told them. With a sigh he shook his head. 

"Can we talk?" Crosshair gestured to the adults who all took a moment to nod. With a sigh, Crosshair headed upstairs out of the way of Omega and Hera who were just finishing eating. 

The other four followed the younger man upstairs all the way to the guest room, Crosshair took a seat on the windowsill while the others just dotted around the room. Hunter closed the door for some privacy. 

"Is everything alright?" Echo asked, he took a seat down on the bed beside Tech who was watching the man on the window with sceptical eyes. 

"I've thought long and hard about this…the proposal to start a relationship and there's a part of me that wants to say no due to what I know and because I've kept a dirty secret from you all. Without this being in the open, it won't be honest and truthfully, I feel like if I don't admit it. This will end it before it can begin" Crosshair spoke in a calm tone as he connected eyes with each of them. 

"Okay, go on," Hunter murmured. Crosshair sighed. 

"A couple of years ago, I was sent to do a recon mission. This was all I had to do, keep watch and look for our target. I was told the target would be walking with a child, I was to take out the target and take off but something happened. I was only meant to injure the man as he was a threat to society but it all happened so fast. He bumped into another, one we had been hunting down due to terrorism. I didn't exactly want to take them down but an order is an order. For the sake of Hera's life, I took aim and fired. The child was left crying on the pathway. I took off without a second thought to who that was but in the end I worked it out when it popped up on the news. The date 24-08-3047" Crosshair winced watching the way Hunter's face twisted. 

"That child was Omega…" Crosshair admitted, he watched the faces in the room change from looks of anger to shock back to anger. 

"You killed my father! You bastard!" Hunter roared at Crosshair who remained impassive. Wrecker glared realising Crosshair was responsible for his mother's death. Tech watched with worried eyes, he knew one thing, Crosshair was getting them to hate him so when he left it wouldn't hurt.

"I had no choice" 

"There's always a choice! You killed not only his father but my mother! The two had Omega for the day! You traumatised our baby girl!" Wrecker roared at Crosshair who froze, he looked down slightly at the vital monitor which beeped. 

"Fucking hell, Cross. What else have you got that needs to come off your chest?!" Echo cursed, he looked at the silver haired man who blinked back the building up of tears. 

"I was captain in battle with Fives on my team and he died under my…" 

Echo could only sigh, he walked over to the man who was clearly trying to put distance in his heart from those who loved him. 

"None of us are like your father. We aren't going to hurt you for admitting the truth. We can see what you are doing, you don't want to let people in, knowing that you feel broken on the inside when in reality, you're broken on the outside. You just need help healing, one thing you have never asked for and are terrified to ask for" Echo whispered patting his shoulder, "and it was not your fault..it was that General Krell who got my brother killed, not yours" Echo pressed into the silver-haired man who looked utterly confused. Tech could only smirk kissing the pale lips as Crosshair gasped as one of the pairs of hands gripped his hips. He faintly heard the door open as he was pushed against the bed and the door closed. 

His vision blurred slightly as arms wrapped around him. Someone climbed on top of him and began to explore, the lips kissed him again but this time pain spread through his sides. He groaned, stopping the two who lifted his top only to gasp, one of his bandages had slipped. 

Blinking Crosshair became aware of Echo tightening the bandage just as lips connected with his own and two bodies moved to hold him. 

"Let it out, we have you. They will come around" Tech's whisper soon led into tears falling down his face and sobs escaping his vocal cords. 

"From what we have heard. You didn't have a choice, do not take their pain to your heart, just let it out. Hera mentioned the other day that you are too tight in the chest and need to let it out. So let it out, we are both here for you and to be honest, we already knew about who killed them. Cody told us when you had been spotted in the area, it wasn't a surprise that I bumped into you in the bank. Cody felt that you shouldn't have had to bare the balance since he was commander of the squad" Echo's explanation was followed by heartbreaking sobs to escape the man who had been through so much. Tech could only pull Crosshair close while Echo wrapped the two of them up. 

Time passed quickly to the point Hera was worried. She was getting ready for bed but normally her mother would come say goodnight to her but since Wrecker and Hunter had left for the night and Omega was sound asleep. She felt lost, so she headed for the guest room, opening the door she gasped. Her mother was fast asleep in Tech's arms while Echo was flickering through the TV. 

"Hera?" 

"Sorry, I just…" Hera looked straight at Echo who understood, he lifted an arm, she shook her head walking over to her mother who blinked awake when she touched his face. Lifting an arm, Hera climbed in only to face her mother's chest. Tech didn't make a sound from where he was hugging Crosshairs back. Echo could only smile running a hand through Techs hair, the genius smiling in his sleep. It wasn't long until Omega sleepily walked into the room and found herself in Echo's lap as the TV turned off.

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