A/N: Sorry for not uploading for a while. I got major writer's block. I decided I would try my best to work though it so sorry if this chapter is a bit choppier than my others. No major warnings besides a whole bunch of angst. No one's in a good mood in this one. (The ending is happy, I promise.) 

You cracked your eyes open slowly, your head still fogged with exhaustion. You hadn't gotten the best sleep. Wrecker was already gone and your focus landed on the empty spot on your bed where Tech would've been. There was still a dip in his pillow from the other night and his datapad rested on the nightstand. Sadness immediately sank from your chest to your stomach as you pushed yourself into a sitting position and blinked yourself awake. Before long, you managed to get yourself dressed and ready for the day. When you stepped out of your room into the empty hall, you only had one place in mind to go.

Winding down the corridors, you found yourself in the medbay as you stood in front of one of the rooms. Taking a deep breath, you pressed your hand to the scanner and the door slid open, allowing you to step inside. When you looked up, you felt your shoulders droop. Tech was still unconscious, his skin pale. You could see the oxygen mask over his mouth fog lightly as he breathed while the machine measuring his vitals beeped steadily. The medical droid spared a look at you, giving you a nod while you made your way to the bed and sat next to it. You gazed at Tech and gently rested your hand on his. It was cold.

"How's his condition?" You asked, your voice ringing in the silence.

"He is stable and his wound is healing, but other than that, there are no significant changes." It replied as it examined a holo-reading of Tech's injuries. You didn't respond as you gazed at him. You drew your finger down to his wrist, careful to avoid the IV, and pressed two fingers against it. His pulse was weak but it was there. That's what mattered. As you gazed at him, you could see him furrowing his brow slightly, his eyes moving beneath his eyelids. He was fighting. You curled your fingers over his, silently wishing you could help him.

The door sliding open behind you drew your attention away from the injured man. You expected one of his brothers to walk in. You were taken aback when Countess Ursa Wren stepped inside, her helmet tucked under her arm. Her eyes widened slightly when she noticed you.

"Is it okay if I come in or am I disturbing you?" She asked. It took a moment for you to reply.

"Uh- N-no, ma'am. I mean, yes! Um-" Damn it. As you stammered she smiled softly, walking to your side.

"I know what you mean." She assured you. You cleared your throat and tried to recollect yourself. You hadn't really spoken with her before and the other mandalorians either seemed indifferent or didn't like you. She didn't seem bothered though as she approached Tech, her expression fading to sadness.

"I wanted to see the wounded. Both Clan Wren and the Republic soldiers." She said. You gave her a small grin.

"That's very kind of you." You said and she shrugged.

"I was going to the medbay anyway. It's no trouble." She said before nodding toward Tech. "Is he a friend of yours?" She asked and you followed her gaze.

"Yeah. His name is Tech." You responded. She examined him for a moment.

"I wanted to apologize. I didn't intend for anyone's lives to be endangered. Especially a volunteer, like yourself. I knew Saxon could be extreme, but..." She trailed off, closing her eyes. It was a while before she opened them again. "I wish I could stay longer, but I must go." You jumped a little when she placed a hand on your shoulder.

"Lunch will be served soon. You should eat something." She said. You gave her a small nod and she returned it before stepping out of the room. With a long sigh, you looked back to Tech. Now that the Countess had mentioned it, you were pretty hungry. When was the last time you ate? Maybe you could spare the time to get some food. You gave Tech's hand a light squeeze before standing up and leaving the room, waving to the droid before the door shut. It didn't take long to get to the dining room. A few people had gathered but you took notice of Wrecker's large frame. He sat alone, seemingly distancing himself from the 'regs' with his eyes gazing at the tablecloth sadly. He noticed you and quickly tried to mask his expression with a smile, but there was none of the happy light that usually beamed from him. You made your way to his side and sat down.

"Hey, there! Look who's finally awake!" He teased. You grinned at him.

"Yeah, I've missed half the day. Why didn't you wake me?" You said, playfully punching his arm. He chuckled.

"Sorry, you were really worn out yesterday so I thought maybe you'd want to sleep in. You didn't miss much. All the meetings were cancelled today so they could do repairs." He responded. You nodded in understanding as some of the food was brought out.

"Where are the others?" You asked. Wrecker's smile faded a bit.

"Uh, Hunter said he'd had a late breakfast. Mentioned something about wanting to train. And Crosshair... he said he wasn't hungry." He responded. You narrowed your eyes at this.

"Did Crosshair at least have breakfast?" You said. Wrecker let out a long breath and shook his head.

"I didn't see him when they served up. He stopped by the medbay with us to see Tech, went out to train, and last I saw, he was heading to his room." He answered with his gaze landing on a plate of meat. You tapped a finger on the table in thought, only stopping when Wrecker plopped some food on your plate.

"You haven't eaten anything either." He said with a smile. You snickered.

"Well, I would've if SOMEONE had woken me up at a reasonable hour." You joked as you spooned more food on your plate. He scoffed at this before serving himself. It was nice to have a lighter mood for a moment as you ate. While you finished your meal, you took notice of a few unused plates beside you. Coming up with an idea, you grabbed two of them.

"What are you doin' with those?" Wrecker asked as he finished off his second serving.

"I'm not letting those two skip meals. It's not healthy, especially after a fight like that." You told him as you scooped a healthy mix of meat and veggies on the plates. Wrecker laughed as he stood. When you were about to leave he gently tapped your arm, drawing your attention back to him. He averted his gaze.

"You were just in the medbay, right?" He asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Has Tech... gotten any better? I know we saw him today but I thought I would ask." He said. You looked at the ground for a minute.

"No changes yet. Sorry, Wrecker." You told him. Seeing his gaze sink, you quickly spoke. "Don't worry too much about it. Tech's a stubborn guy. Maker knows nothing can keep him from his work for long." A small smile returned to Wrecker's face as he chuckled.

"Yeah." He said, though his voice shook a bit. "Well, I'll see you around. I offered to help with the repairs so I'll be in the throne room if you need me." You nodded and set off for the rooms. Before long, you found yourself at Crosshair and Hunter's room.

"Anyone home?" You called. Silence. You furrowed your brow. "I know you're in there, Crosshair. Can you let me in?"

"What do you want?" His voice replied from inside. He sounded drained.

"I brought some food for you guys."

"Seriously?" He sighed.

"Some of it is for Hunter too. Just let me in already." You added, growing a bit impatient. You heard shuffling for a second before the door suddenly slid open, Crosshair standing at the entrance. His eyes were darker than usual and his lips were turned into a harsh scowl. He stepped aside to let you in.

"Make it quick." He said as he leaned against the wall behind you, crossing his arms over his chest. You made your way to the bedroom, setting the food on the nightstand.

"How's your arm?" You called to him.

"Fine." Came the curt reply. He seemed a lot more irritable than usual. Maybe a joke would help? As you stepped out you gave him a smile.

"I see you finally got the pink out of your hair." You teased him. His eyes narrowed.

"If you're finished, get out." He growled. Your smile disappeared. Perhaps jokes weren't the best way to pull him out of a bad mood. Still, something was amiss. Against your better judgement, you continued.

"Crosshair, is something... wrong?" You asked. He raised an eyebrow and you rolled your eyes. "Besides the obvious."

"No." He replied. You continued to gaze at him, unsure if he was telling the truth. He scoffed. "Even if there was, what does it matter to you?" You placed a hand on your hip.

"It's my job to be here for you, Crosshair."

"You're a medic. Not a therapist." He replied, wrapping his fingers on his arm.

"We're friends, Crosshair. We're supposed to look out for each other." You sighed. He tilted his head with a sneer.

"Friends? That's a bold statement." He said. You rolled your eyes again.

"Fine." You said. "But before I go-"

"What?" He growled.

"I wanted to say thank you." You said. This caught him off guard.

"For what?" He asked and you rubbed the back of your neck.

"For yesterday, during the fight." You replied. His eyes darkened again and he glared at the floor.

"Hardly worth thanking me for."

"Crosshair, you saved my life."

"That doesn't matter!" Crosshair snapped. He paused, as if realizing what he'd said, and looked up at you. You gazed at him, a pained expression on your face. His eyes softened slightly and he opened his mouth to say something, only to turn his face away. You looked at the floor, blinking back tears.

"Maybe you're right, Crosshair." You said, your voice wavering. "Maybe it was bold of me to think you cared about someone other than yourself." Without another word you stepped out of the room and the door shut behind you. Part of you was furious at him and the other part was furious at yourself.

Perhaps he didn't mean it. Maybe you were overreacting. Nonetheless, the words cut deep.

***

You kept yourself distracted for the rest of the day. It was easy enough. You offered to help with some of the repairs and assisted in the now-crowded medbay. This also gave you an excuse to check in on Tech whenever you got the chance.

"Thanks, doc." A clone said as you handed him a cup of water. You nodded.

"Of course. Let me know if you need anything else, okay?" You told him. He dipped his head in acknowledgement before you said goodbye and stepped out of the room. You looked at the holodisk in your hand as a list of patients came up. As your eyes skimmed through it, you realized you'd run out of patients to help. Maybe that was for the best. Your eyelids were starting to grow heavy as you examined the list before slipping it back into your pocket. It must be getting late anyway.

"What are you doing up at this hour?" A voice made you look up to see Hunter walking toward you. You raised an eyebrow, but smiled.

"I could ask you the same thing." You said. He chuckled at this.

"Good point." He remarked before tossing his gaze down the hall. "I wanted to see Tech before I turned in for the night." You gave him a warm smile.

"I'll join you. I-If that's alright." You said and the Sergeant returned your smile.

"Of course." He replied before leading the way to Tech's room. "I asked Crosshair if he wanted to come but he seemed angry about something. I swear, he was more wound up then when I'd left him." You tossed your gaze away without a sound before Hunter spoke again.

"Tomorrow, I want you to pick up your training again." He said. You gave him a confused look.

"I thought you weren't allowed to carry weapons outside of the meetings." You replied.

"They've been more lenient ever since the battle. Seems we've gained their trust." He answered. "Since our mission is going to be on hold for a few days, I can help you practice." You thought back to the fight yesterday, your eyes on the ground. Maybe if you had a weapon then, Tech wouldn't have been wounded so badly.

"Don't blame yourself." Hunter said, bringing your attention to him. "I don't want to put any pressure on you to be a soldier. I just want you to be able to protect yourself. Especially since we can't rely on the mandalorians." He said the last part angrily.

"What do you mean?" You asked him. He scowled.

"That Countess, I saw her running away as soon as the battle began." He responded. "If they allow such a coward to lead them-" To his surprise, you chuckled.

"I don't think she's a coward, Hunter." You told him. It was his turn to be confused as he looked at you. "Hunter, she's pregnant." His eyes widened.

"What!? Are you sure?" He exclaimed and you nodded. "How could you tell?" You waved a hand dismissively.

"I'm a doctor. I know a pregnant woman when I see one." You said as you approached Tech's room. The door slid open and you both stepped in, making your way to his side. Hunter's eyes locked on his brother and he slowly rested a hand on his shoulder. For a while, the only sound was the soft beeping of Tech's vitals. Even the medical droid hardly made any noise as it organized it's desk.

"What's it all for?" Hunter began, his voice low. You blinked at him.

"What do you mean?" You asked. He furrowed his brow and frowned.

"This war. All the fighting. Battle after battle." He said. "Sometimes I'm not sure what it's about. The Republic? Liberty?" You examined him for a few seconds before looking back at Tech.

"I... don't think anyone knows, Hunter." You said. Hunter closed his eyes and you returned your attention to him. Carefully, you set your hand on his shoulder. "I don't have all the answers. But I know that when I signed up, I did it because I wanted to help people. You guys, you're the reason I'm here right now. I guess, if you're looking for a reason to fight, fight for each other." Hunter opened his eyes and looked at you. You could see how tired he was, but he smiled as he slowly set his other hand over yours.

"Thank you." He said before leaning up. "I should get some sleep. Are you coming?"

"In a minute." You assured him.

"Don't stay up too late." He said before leaving the room. When he'd left you looked back at Tech, sitting down and resting your hand on his once again. Your eyelids were growing heavier by the second. You'd only stay a couple minutes.

***

You stirred, cracking open your eyes as the sound of steady beeping filled the air. You felt a stir beside you and you leaned up with a groan. Blinking your eyes to clear them, you noticed your hand was still locked with Tech's. You'd fallen asleep in the medbay. As you were about to unlock your grip from his, you couldn't help but notice he looked less pale than before you fell asleep. More stirring made you perk up and you looked up at Tech's face. He furrowed his brow, his lip twitching as he let out a groan.

"Tech?" You said cautiously. Finally, he opened his eyes, shutting them against the harsh light. Blinking a few times, he looked at you and the confusion began to lift from his face.

"Where... where am I?" He said weakly. You didn't answer as tears clouded your vision. You let out a laugh and threw yourself at him, wrapping him in a tight hug. He flinched a bit at your embrace.

"You're awake. You're awake." You breathed happily.

"Not for long, with how tight you're hugging me." He remarked. You loosened your grip and leaned away, smiling from ear to ear. Before you could explain any further, the door slid open. You both looked over to see Wrecker step inside. As soon as he saw Tech, any silence in the room was shattered.

"Hey, you're awake! Hey, Guys! Hurry up! He's awake!" He called down the hall before rushing over to Tech. He leaned away a little as Wrecker charged him, crushing him in a hug.

"Careful, Wrecker." You advised him with a chuckle. Hunter stepped in, grinning and walking up to Tech. He gave him a hearty smack on the shoulder when Wrecker released him.

"I knew you'd make it back to us, Tech." He told him. Crosshair was not far behind, stepping inside and giving his brother a taunting smirk.

"Finally awake?" He said as he approached him and nudged his arm. "It's not like you to sleep in." Tech adjusted his glasses, trying his hardest to look annoyed. But he couldn't keep a small smile from his features when he looked at everyone.

"How long was I unconscious?" He asked. Crosshair shrugged.

"A couple days."

"Gave us quite a scare!" Wrecker laughed. Tech put a hand to his chin.

"If I was unconscious for that long, I need to catch up on work. Can one of you bring me my-"

"No." Hunter stated. "You're getting rest, and that's final." Tech let out an irritated sigh, drawing a laugh from his brothers. You smiled at them. You knew that their missions were dangerous. That their lives were in danger every time they were assigned one. But here, you took the time to appreciate that, at least for now, things were okay. And you would do everything in your power to keep it that way.