The Bad Batch Aftermath{TechxOC}

Closed doors

What was just one rotation has turned into many many rotations. Valerie had cut her hair and it hung just past her shoulders. The red dye had completely faded from her hair and her stomach was even more round. The sun was setting on Lah'mu and Valerie was sitting in a chair in the garden. She was looking at the setting sky, enjoying the cooler weather. It was one of the rarer days where it didn't rain all day. She was absentmindedly rubbing her stomach.

"Valerie?" Her mother called for her. "Are you coming in? It's getting late!"

Valerie turned around and saw her mother waving to her from the homestead. "Yea! Coming!" She got up and looked back at the setting sun. Valerie yawned, she was getting more and more tired each day. She made her way back towards the homestead.

Inside Valerie's parents were cleaning up. Her father was washing the plates while her mother wiped down the table. They were chatting about some of the things they needed.

"Oh Valerie!" Her mother perked up when she closed the door. "I'm heading into town tomorrow, why don't you join me?"

"You want me to join you?" Valerie questioned.

"Of course!" Her mother smiled. "I need some things and you've been stuck here for a while now. Although they shouldn't know you are my daughter."

"I suppose you're right." Valerie agreed.

"What about one of your sisters?" Valerie's father chimed in.

"Pretending to be my sister could work." Her mother agreed.

"Sounds like a good plan." Valerie said and covered up a yawn. "But I am quite tired now. Shall I see you two in the morning?"

"Yes, get some rest. Goodnight Valerie." Her mother said.

"Goodnight!" Her father called out as she walked into her room. She looked at the bed she and her father built together and smiled. She was starting to like this little life of hers, but she still felt something was off. Incomplete.

She shook her head and kicked off her shoes. Climbing into bed she laid on her side and stared out the window. "What am I missing?" She whispered before drifting off to sleep.

Snapping twigs, rustling leaves, and shouting drew Valerie's attention, but it was almost pitch black. No matter how hard she tried, she could only see a forest in this darkness.

"We have to fight them!" She could hear Wrecker yelling.

"With what?!" Hunter had responded. "We don't have our weapons!"

Valerie looked around, she knew they were nearby. "Hello?" She called out for them. The sound of twigs snapping came to a pause. Valerie turned around. She couldn't see Hunter but could feel him staring at her.

"What?" Hunter questioned. It felt like there was a barrier between them.

"Keep up, Hunter!" Wrecker yelled.

"Hunter?" Valerie stepped forward. "Is that you?"

"Who are you?" Hunter asked. She felt him move forward as well.

"What's going on?" Wrecker asked. "Who are you talking to?"

"Hunter, it's me!" Valerie pleaded.

"Valerie?" Hunter asked.

"Yes, it's me! What's going on?" Valerie tried to move closer but found herself stuck.

"It's Valerie." You heard Hunter rummaging around for something.

"Valerie?" Wrecker questioned. "You officially lost it, Sarge."