"Harmless" Adventures with the Bad Batch

Unfinished Business (Bad Batch arc pt.4)

A/n:  Hey guys!  I am back a day early with the final part of this arc!  After this I have to actually be creative again lol.  Remember when part 1 was the longest chapter in this book?  Well new record because this segment is 6072 words, even after cutting some extra scenes.  I don't to spoil anything, so there's a little info in that at the end. Anyways, I hope you enjoy!  You'll be reading for a while :)

"Trust placed in another is trust earned."

After a quick flight through hyperspace, the Havoc Marauder had landed back at Fort Anaxes. Abby stared out the cockpit windows at the base as the shop was lowered onto the airfield. There, a couple, clones were anticipating their arrival, the ARC trooper Jesse among them. Abby briefly wondered how he had been since she last saw him a couple days before, but had to abandon that train of thought as Anakin joined her and Tech in the cockpit.

"Hey, Abby, I know the medics are pretty swamped with work right now. Do you think you could help out with Echo? From what I've heard, you have skills in the medical field," the General asked.

"I know a thing or two. But yeah, I could help," Abby agreed with a shrug.

"Come on then. I sent a message to the base earlier, so Kix is already waiting in the medbay."

Abby left her helmet on the cockpit's center console, then followed Anakin and Tech to the cabin, where everyone else was waiting. Rex and Abby would bring Echo to the medbay, Anakin and Hunter would debrief the other generals about the unapproved mission (probably getting a lecture along the way), and Wrecker, Tech, and Crosshair would be left at the ship to repair the damage that the Keeradaks had done to it.

Abby, Rex, Hunter, Anakin, and Echo descended from the Havoc Marauder, where Echo was immediately swarmed by the brothers who were waiting for him. Abby caught onto the names Appo, Vaughn, and Hawk in the mix of conversation. Though she glanced up when she heard a voice she recognized: Jesse's.

"Echo! We missed you, vod," he exclaimed, clapping Echo on the back and hugging him with an excited smile.

"You too, Jesse. I see you're an ARC now too. I'm impressed," Echo laughed.

"Hey, Abby," Jesse said, getting her attention.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for bringing him home," Jesse smiled.

Abby could swear she saw Hunter stiffen when Jesse spoke to her, but to hell with that. She could also swear she felt her heart speed up a little at the sight of his smile and his excited demeanor.

'No. No way, I don't do romance. Remember what happened last time? You ended up drugged!' she reprimanded herself, remembering that fateful night at 79's.

'But he's so handsome! And cute!' the other half of her brain protested.

'Cease, me.'

"No problem, Jesse. I'm glad he's okay," she grinned back.

"Abby, we need to get Echo to the medbay to remove all this junk," Rex reminded her.

"Right. I'll see you around," she smiled and waved goodbye. She couldn't help hoping she would see him again soon. Nor could she help the feelings of butterflies that spontaneously generated into her stomach when she saw him smile.

Rex and Abby helped Echo walk to the medbay, where Kix was waiting.

"Echo, you're alive," he laughed, pulling him into a hug, which Echo returned.