TCW One-Shots

Long Road (Chopper x OC)

A/N: I apologize in advance for any confusion everyone, this has not been edited. Warning: May cause feels.

~*~

"No! No, there must be some mistake, she can't be dead! Hunter, tell them..!" Dekker begged.

"I can't..." was the captain's faint reply.

She had bought them time, time to escape and get a message to the Republic, and it had cost her her life. All they could do now was stand and watch as her broken and battered body was carefully removed from the ravine into which she'd been tossed by the monsters who killed her.

Jax stood by silently, tears standing in his eyes as she was finally brought to the top. Hunter's face had become a hard, emotionless masque, allowing nothing to bleed through, no indication of what he thought or felt while Rocket stood there letting the tears fall freely, not even making the effort to brush them away. Strafe, Cole, and Chase had moved clear away from the ravine to where he could hear them talking only faintly, although he didn't care enough to investigate. Really, without her he couldn't see a point in anything any longer. Dekker lost all semblance of control the moment the sheet was lain over her face. It took himself, Rocket, Hunter, and Jax to hold the medic back as he attempted to make a lunge for her. When Dekker finally stopped fighting them he dropped to his knees, his face buried in his hands as he wept quietly.

Chopper's own eyes stung with unshed tears that he refused to let fall. Weeping over her death would do nothing, he reminded himself. What was done was done. She was gone, it couldn't be changed. He hadn't realized he'd moved until he found himself standing beside the biobed she rested on. He was desperately tempted to fold back the sheet for one last look, although he refrained. He settled for ghosting his fingertips over the cloth, trailing them over her forehead, down her cheek, and finally leaving off at her chin. He felt irrationally angry, although he only did as he was instructed, when he was asked to step away. They were taking her away from him, a tiny, sobbing voice inside protested, but he crushed it as he watched the transport bearing her body lift off and fly away.

~*~

The Jedi Council was more than a little surprised, and even seemed rather put out when he made his request. Belatedly he remembered that she wasn't even supposed to wear the jewelry at all. Still, he continued to press. It was most likely silly, maybe even foolish, but he couldn't reconcile himself to losing those last few pieces of her.

"Please..." he begged.

General Plo finally stood, cutting the debate short.

"Come," was all the general said.

He wanted to persist, to make them understand that he needed some part of her or he wouldn't be able to cope, but he simply gave the council a salute and followed the general out of the chamber. General Plo led him through the empty halls and out into the temple garden, stopping at a fountain. The general never said a word, he simply strode up to the fountain, then after placing something on the edge of the basin he turned away, placing his hand gently on the trooper's shoulder as he left.

He stood where Plo had left him, for how long he didn't know. When he finally summoned the will to approach the fountain he hesitated several times before finally taking the last few steps. There lay her jewelry, a small collection of shining silver chains and rings, all set with sparkling blue gems he could not name. He knelt beside the fountain and gently gathered them into his hands, silently thanking the general before standing and leaving the temple for the last time.

~*~

"We'll probably never see each other again," Dekker was the first to say what they had all been thinking.