Allana

The droids kept on coming and the fight was not getting any easier. However, we managed to destroy the last few droids of the fourth wave Tambor had sent after us.

"Hunter, hold them off." Anakin ordered the Sergeant of the Bad Batch. "I'll check in Rex and Echo."

"I'll go with you." I said and Ani nodded. "Think you can handle things on your own?" I asked my Padawan, knowing very well he could. Cal simply scoffed and smirked.

"I can handle anything." He said as he stopped a blast coming his way with the Force before he turned and hit it with his saber, sending it back and destroying the droid. I smiled back at him as the fifth wave arrived. We ran through the gates Tech had opened and down a long hallway until we arrived at Control room.

"Situation's almost under control out there." Said Skywalker and it was my turn to scoff.

"Yeah, right." I said and bent down to face the once ARC trooper. "How's it going, soldier?" He barely seemed alive, with skin whiter than paper, no hair on his head, pieces of metal in his body, and a tool for a hand. Even if his eyes lit up, he didn't speak nor smiled. "Man, it's good to see you." I stood up after I had placed my hand over his shoulder gently. His skin was extremely cold and he didn't even react to my presence.

"How's the situation over here?" Asked Anakin.

"I'm still trying to decrypt Echo's cerebral interface." Tech informed. "Until I do, we cannot disconnect him from this computer system." I frowned as he got back to work. looked at Anakin, who had a worried expression on his face.

"How is he, Rex?"

"He's too weak to talk." Rex answered Skywalker's question. "Very disoriented. Doesn't even remember how he got here. He remembers being at the Citadel, but that's about it."

"Any word on the extraction squad?" I asked.

"We called it in, but no word back."

"Well, that's no surprise. We knew when we got into this we'd be on our own." Said Anakin as I looked over my shoulder, spotting the droids cornering the boys again. They walked through the doors and deactivated the panels, locking it for the droids not to get through.

"It's gonna get more difficult to get out of here!" Said Wolffe. "There are several squads of droids closing in." That's when a droid almost got through the door. Wrecker managed to rip its head off while Crosshair Hunter and Wolffe closed the door for Cal to weld the gate with the blue blade of his saber.

"Enemy approaching. Droids...lots of 'em." Said Crosshair.

"How do you know if you can't see them?" Asked Cal. Crosshair only pointed at his helmet and the kid nodded. "Oh. Cool."

"How long can you hold them off?" I asked.

"How long do you need?" Asked Hunter and we turned to their brother.

"Tech, how much longer?" Asked Ani.

"Not yet. I need more time." Said Tech and I felt anxious by the minute. A couple seconds later, something started cutting the door that had been locked.

"We're gonna have a problem." Said Cal as they all moved backwards to seal the next door, trapping us here. Hunter and Wrecker started sealing the gates as Tech sighed, relieved.

"I've got it." He exclaimed. "We can unplug him now." Echo turned around and I felt sick when I saw how the machine went all the way from his head and down his spine. I had to look away and breathe in deeply not to throw up. Rex was the one to pull the plugs that attached him to the computers, air hissing out of them. Echo fell down, panting.

"Rex?" He called.

"What is it?" Asked his brother and Echo coughed.

"I've got a big headache." I chuckled, as well as the rest.

"There's the ARC trooper I know and remember." I said and he finally smiled at me.

"Better to feel something than nothing, old buddy." Rex added.

"Look, guys, it's a lovely reunion but we need to get out of here. Now and very fast." Said Cal, getting anxious by the minute.

"You're right, Witty." Anakin commented. "Question's how?" We all looked around the place, trying to find out a way out of the building that avoided fighting the droids that would burst into this very room any minute.

"There's an exhaust vent that leads to the cooling systems right there." Echo said pointing to the ceiling.

"Sounds easy." Kestis commented, sarcastically.

"You need to calm down, my Padawan." I said.

"A Padawan, ma'am? Huh, it has been a while then." Said Echo and I laughed again.

"When we get out of here, we'll have time to catch up."

"They've reached the front door!" Hunter warned from the entrance. "It won't be long before they're through the second." Echo turned around, facing the console and used his tool-hand to help us out.

"That should get it open." He said and the gate opened indeed.

"Great. Now, how do we get up there?" Asked Crosshair.

"Oh, I can help with that." Said Wrecker as he grabbed Hunter.

"Whoa, Wrecker, what are you doing?!" Wrecker suddenly threw Hunter upwards and he got into the vent. "A heads-up would've been nice!" I smiled and laughed.

"You're fun to work with, soldier." I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

"General, you're gonna make the big boy blush." Crosshair mocked.

"Hey! No need to speak more than you must." Wrecker threw Crosshair next and I smiled more. "Thank you, General." I nodded. The next one to be sent upwards was Tech, whom was carrying Echo on his back, then, Wolffe and Rex's turn arrived.

"You know what, sir?" He told Anakin as he placed on his helmet. "This reminds me of Commander Tano." Anakin scoffed with a sad smile that was contagious, soon enough every single one of us was smiling tenderly at him.

"Yeah, she'd be the one throwing everyone up there." Said Skywalker as Rex made his way up aided by Wrecker. I placed a hand on Ani's shoulder and smiled. "You're next." He told me.

"I'll let Cal go first." I said and Kestis approached Wrecker, who threw him up in a second, making him laugh, which made me laugh. I approached the vent and looked up as Wrecker approached me. "It's alright, Wrecker. Thank you." I offered a kind smile and jumped, getting into the vent easily.

"Whoa." I heard Wrecker's voice below.

"I've got this, Wrecker. It's okay." I heard Anakin, when I looked down, he was already in the vent below me.

"Copycat." He smiled and rolled his eyes. I frowned as I looked down. "What is he doing?" Anakin looked down too and saw Wrecker running throughout the space.

"Keep climbing." He ordered me and I nodded. When I got up, Wolffe and Cal pulled me up. I thanked them before looking down, spotting Anakin still holding on to the vent's wall and Wrecker far below. "What are you doing?" He asked the trooper.

"I'm putting an end to Tambor's little science experiment." Said Wrecker.

"Are you done? Time's up." I watched as Ani pulled Wrecker upwards by using the Force as energy zapped in the room we were just inside. When he had crossed the vent, the metallic gate closed and the energy became a muffed echo below us. It was soon replaced by a loud boom.

"Did you set chargers?" Cal asked.

"You can bet I did, kid."

"I like him." Kestis said to me.

"I know. We all do." I said. "Alright, we've got to move." Hunter and Crosshair were the ones leading the line and we followed behind them.

"Huh." Tech said all of the sudden as we turned right in the corridor. "This ventilation corridor acts as a cooling system all the computers in the facility."

"How did you know it was up here, Echo?" Asked Wolffe.

"Well, they got access to my memory, and I got access to the Techno Union database. All their plans, inventory, building schematics...everything."  That can come in handy in more than one way, it could help us not only escape, but win the battles against them.

"You mean you can find us a safe way out of here?" Asked Hunter.

"Well, there is a way." He coughed and he smiled. "But you're not gonna like it." Everyone looked at him, surprised, and I smiled.

"Lead the way, trooper." I said and he smiled at me.

"Over here, General." He guided us through the ventilation system until a gate opened before us. The sunlight blinded me for a se one I had to cover my eyes with my forearm as the warm breeze hit my face. The only thing before us: a pipeline and the large abyss below.

  When I looked down I felt dizzy and as if I could lose my balance, Anakin's hand found my shoulder quickly and pulled me towards him, my arm brushing against his chest. I nodded when I looked at him and he nodded back as he stepped forward.

"Uh, I don't know about this." Said Cal as the strong air hit us, the winds were unreliable, it could be soft for us to move through the pipe with ease or strong enough as to make us lose our balance and fall Force knows how many meters to the ground. "That's easy a kilometre." Anakin covered his face from the wind with his hand and I moved an inch closer to him to cover the wind with his body.

"I'm telling you, there's a landing pad on that other building." Echo told us.

"So you think there's a ship there we can steal?" Asked the Sergeant.

"Well, I hope there's a ship we can steal." Anakin looked at me, I shrugged smiling and started walking down the pipe. Skywalker chuckled and walked behind me, behind him Cal, and then the rest of our brave friends.

"Let's hope this trip isn't for nothing." Said Hunter.

"Oh, boy. I can't even look." Said Wrecker far behind me. "Just keep walking, Tech."

"That's fine, but if you fall, don't take me with you." I chuckled at Tech's words.

"He's the optimistic one of the group, isn't he?" I asked and heard Anakin's laugh behind me.

"More like the realistic one." I looked over my shoulder for a second, when I looked back to the front, I looked down for a brief moment and felt dizzy again. I felt myself slipping a bit, but Anakin's hand found my waist and he stabilised me. "You okay?"

"Yeah, fine." I smiled. "Thanks." He smiled back and nodded as the walk resumed. Few steps in, the opposite gate opened and some droids appeared before us, their aim on us already. "Droids! Turn around, go back!" I enlightened my lightsaber to deflect the blasts of the droids and cover our flank.

  The droids started walking towards us, shooting their blasts. I deflected two and heard blasters being fired behind me, then, a scream. When I turned around, Crosshair had fallen and Wrecker jumped behind him, catching him midair, he held on to the edge of the pipe.

"Smarty, you got a brilliant idea?" Skyguy asked as I deflected another blast.

"Uh...just trying not to fall at the moment. Give me a minute." I said as my mind raced and my eyes scanned our current situation.

"I do have a brilliant idea." Said Tech behind us.

"I'm hanging here." Said Wrecker.

"When the locals attacked us, I recorded the creatures' distress call."

"He records everything. It's a hobby." Explained Hunter.

"Cool." Said Cal with a smile.

"Which allows us to call those flying creatures to us." Tech continued. In a second, he played the recording and we had to cover our ears when the high pitched cry of those reptiles echoed everywhere in the open area.

"Ow, enough with the sound!" Wrecker complained and Crosshair fired at the droids. In the distance, the silhouette of the flying creatures appeared amongst the yellow clouds.

"There is our ride out of here!" Tech said as plenty of those reptiles flew past us.

"And how exactly do we get on them?" Asked Cal.

"How else? We jump!" We all looked at him.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." I commented.

"I think he ain't kiddin'." Said Ani. "Alright, I'll go first." Without hesitating for even a second, the man with a dragon heart jumped off the pipeline and landed on one of the reptiles. "Come on!" He yelled as he looked at me and I turned off my lightsaber as I sighed.

"See you down there, kiddo." I told Cal and jumped off the platform. As I fell, Anakin extended his hand and I grabbed it when I landed on the reptile. My hands wrapped around his torso like a reflex.

"Just like that time in Geonosis." I chuckled and kissed his cheek, very close to the corner of his lips like I had done back then when he rescued me from the Nexu.

"Just like that time in Geonosis." As we flew away, I looked over my shoulder and spotted Cal with Wolffe on one of those things, Rex with Echo, Tech and Hunter, Wrecker and Crosshair, all on the reptiles. The team was complete, safe and sound. The only problem I spotted was that we were being followed. "Those goddamned droids can fly."

"What?" Asked Ani.

"Yep. They can fly and they're closing in on us." I turned on my saber by the time they opened fire and deflected the blasts back at them as I could, problem was that I couldn't hit them back.

"We need to shake these droids!" Skywalker told the rest of the team. "How do I steer this thing?"

"I don't know, but you keep doing what you're good at."

"Which is?"

"Piloting stuff." He chuckled and we managed to lose some droids in the mist while some other few crashed against rock structures that were around and they didn't see. "We lost 'em."

"Good."

  After ten minutes, we reached the village and those reptiles landed with ease. Apparently, the leader of the tribe was already waiting for us. Anakin got off the animal's back and extended a hand for me to take and get off too, which I took. When my feet were on the ground, we let go of each other and stepped close to our new friend. He started communicating with us when we got close. To me he seemed either angry or surprised.

"The leader is impressed we tamed the Keeradaks." Tech translated. Surprised it is. "But he wants to know why we returned here." Perhaps a bit of angry too.

"Tell him we had no choice." Said Anakin. "Tell him...that- that we wore out our welcome in Purkoll." Tech spoke and, a second later, blaster fire rained upon us. While we destroyed some droids, one of them got away and flew past our location. "Not good." He sighed. "If I know Tambor, he'll come after us, us and the Poletecs, with everything he's got." The alien spoke again, he seemed more angry than earlier.

"What's he saying, Tech?" I asked.

"He says that we've broken our word. We have brought the war to his village." Rex stepped forward and stood tall before the Poletec leader.

"He's right." He said as he took off his helmet. "Tell him he's right, Tech. Tell him we didn't plan to drag his people into war." Then, the Captain pointed at Echo. "But look what the Separatists did to one of our people!" Echo walked to the front with his chin up and I felt a shiver doing down my spine as I frowned and looked at him, it hurt to see what had been done to him. The natives were just as shocked and, for a moment, it seemed as if they understood what Rex was saying. "They took away his freedom, his humanity. They tried to turn him into a machine." Tech started to translate Rex's speech, beside me, Anakin and Cal crossed their arms over their chests. "The Techno Union claims it's neutral, but they have chosen sides. Now your people have to choose." I smiled at the 501st member.

"Couldn't have said it better, Rex." He smiled at me.

"Ugh! Let's hope it works." Crosshairs said. "Because I see forces coming, more than we can handle alone." We all turned around and saw the army of droids that was coming our way.

"Do you have a brilliant idea now?" Asked Anakin. I looked around and saw the structures, the village's construction was favourable.

"I think I do." I said. "Tech, translate for me, please." He nodded and I started sharing my idea with the Poletecs, they agreed to help in order to protect their home. It consisted in using the different levels the rocks provided for us in order to ambush the droids.

Anakin, Crosshair, Echo and I stood at the top of a cliff where we had a clear view of everything below us. Cal was stationed with Hunter and Tech on the right flank and Wrecker at the top of the cliff above the village on the left flank.

When I saw the droids incoming and landing on the village, I signalled Wrecker, he nodded and moved to push a rock downhill. The kind of rock that almost crushed Anakin and I earlier.

The rock rolled down and took out of the game a bunch of droids and the natives moved in. The droids attacked them and the Batch decided to step into the fight. Crosshair terminated droids from the heights with his perfect aim while Wrecker destroyed them with his force and strength.

Soon enough, Cal and the rest of the troopers joined the others and destroyed most of the flying droids. When the first wave was almost done and dealt with, the walkers —or spider droids, as I like to call them— arrived. Some flying droids closed in on us, Ani and I deflected the blasts back at the droids while Echo and Crosshair shoot them down.

"He did send everything he's got." I commented.

"Told you so." He grabbed his communicator to contact the team. "Guys, we've gotta take out these walkers. Rex, you take the one on your flank; Cal, same thing for you. Lana and I will handle the other."

"Don't worry, sir. The boys and I can handle it." Said Rex.

"You got it, Skyguy." Said Cal ans I smiled. Anakin kept the communicator and looked at me.

"Still showing off, huh, Generals?" Said Echo and we smiled at him.

"You know us, Echo." Said Skywalker.

"Some things will never change." I added.

"Ready to have fun?" I chuckled at Anakin's words as we moved back, away from the edge of the cliff to gather more impulse.

"When have I not been ready?" He smiled at me before I turned around and jumped with him following behind me. As we fell, we turned on our lightsabers and, when we landed, we stabbed the walker. "You handle the weapons, I'll handle the legs."

"You got it." We stuck our sabers to the metal as we slid down the droid's head. Anakin held on to one of the cannons while I kept on falling and landed on the leg. I waited until Ani cut off two cannons to cut the leg of the droid, which made it lost its stability and caused it to fall. I jumped and, as I fell, I cut the other leg.

"That wasn't so tough." I said as we walked towards each other. He shook off some dust from his leather robes.

"Yeah." We looked towards the other two walkers. "They're handling it well." I nodded and smiled proudly when I saw the walker Cal was working in by himself fall. A sudden movement behind Anakin called my attention.

"We've got another one." He turned around and nodded.

"I push, you pull?" I nodded. "Alright."

"You ready?"

"I always am, Angel." The nickname made me smile and I started running, then, I jumped impulsing myself with the Force. Halfway through the air, I felt a push on my back, Anakin impulsed me up. When I landed on the droid's head, he started running and jumped, when he was midair, I pulled him towards me and we repeated the dynamic we had done with the other droid to destroy this one too.

When I had cut off the leg of the droid, we jumped off the droid's head and turned around on our fall to throw it with the Force. We safely landed on our feet on the lower ground.

There was a small squad of droids that surrounded us, but it was no issue at all. We destroyed them in minutes watching each other's backs and protecting our blind side until they were reduced to debris.

Another small squad of six droids, more or less, flew away back to their base. That's when the Poletecs started cheering with victory. I smiled and my eyes met Anakin's face, he was smiling too. When his eyes met mine, his smile widened and he punched my shoulder in a playful way, another way we have to say 'I love you' in a discreet way. I chuckled as I punched his shoulder too and we gathered with our team, grateful at the fact that we had no losses.

"It's hard to compete with a Jedi." Said Hunter as we arrived, Cal was joining us too at the same time. The three of us smiled at them.

"Hey, you did a pretty good job, Serge." Said Kestis and Hunter, for a fraction of second, smiled at him. "Now what?"

"We return to base." Said Anakin and Tech asked the Poletecs if they could give us a ride back to their ship, which they kindly did. In a matter of minutes we found ourselves standing right in front of the ship's gate, we turned around and prepared for a goodbye.

"Thank you for helping us in our fight." I said to the Poletec leader, Tech translated and our alien friend started to speak.

"He said the Jedi will always have an ally here on Skako Minor." I smiled, as well as the rest of my fellow Order members. After those words were exchanged, as well as formal head nods, they walked away and we stepped into the ship to make our way back to base. When we arrived, Obi-Wan was the one to receive us.

"Kenobi, man, it's good to see you." He smiled and stepped close to me with open arms. I chuckled and hugged him for a second. It was a tight hug, and I'm glad it was. I've missed this old man dearly.

"I'm happy to see you, too." He said and hugged Cal too. "I take your mission was a success?"

"Yes, it was, Master." Said Cal as Wolffe shook Kenobi's hand.

"You know, you could've told me they were joining us." Anakin commented, crossing his arms over his chest with a smile.

"And miss the opportunity of watching your shocked face? Not a chance." I laughed. "I did try to tell you, though. But you kept on walking away." Anakin scoffed and nodded.

"How's everything going on up there?" Obi-Wan sighed.

"Same as it was. But, with what you've done today, our chances of winning this fight have increased." Anakin nodded. He wants to go home so badly, that's nearly the only thing he talks about whenever we chat.

"Will you stay and give us a hand?" He asked me.

"I don't know. I left a battle to come here, in all honesty, the three of us should be going back."

"But we could use your strategic thinking."

"I know you do." He scoffed. "Would Windu approve knowing I have unfinished business in the middle rim?"

"We could sort it out." Said Kenobi. "I agree with Anakin, we do need a clear mind here. Ours are a bit worn out because of this fight, a fresh view could be a huge help."

"I could go back with Wolffe." Cal offered. "I know our tactics and what we have to do, I can lead the battalion. Plus, I can fly us back there." I chuckled.

"I know you can fly my ship and that you can lead, but this battle has been tough. You really think you can do it alone?"

"Yeah. I'll have Wolffe and, if anything goes wrong and not according to our plans, I'll contact you." I nodded.

"If Windu gives us the green light, I'll let you pilot my ship." He smiled and nodded.

A moment later, we reported to the Council on the success of Echo's rescue mission. Anakin told them that now they had a better chance at winning this battle because Trench wouldn't be able to tell their moves from now on and asked if I could stay to help. I told them what Cal and I had thought of and they agreed.

"I swear to whatever's out there, Kestis, if there is a tiny scratch on the ship..." I spoke to Cal as I escorted him and Wolffe to the ship.

"You'll probably hang me by the ankles for a month during practice." I scoffed. "But that won't happen, because your ship will be fine. I promise, Master."

"I trust you."

"I know, Master."

"This alone mission is not like any other mission you've been on."

"I know, Master."

"Be careful."

"Yes, Master. You too." I smiled.

"I'll be. May the Force be with you, my Padawan."

"May the Force be with you, my Master." He said and rushed into the ship with a huge smile on his lips, which made me smile.

"Keep an eye on him." I asked Wolffe.

"Always, General." He said with a truthful smile. I nodded. "Will you be alright on your own?" I knew what he meant.

"Commander..."

"I've been glued to you keeping an eye on you for almost five months, ma'am."

"I know, I know." A pause.

"Does he know?"

"Not yet. I haven't told him."

"Then how will they look after you?"

"I can handle myself, Wolffe."

"I know, General. I've seen it with my own two eyes for the past four years, but this time-"

"Exactly, meaning I'm no longer the naïve nineteen year old that had you bossing around."

"You were never naïve." He said with a chuckle.

"Perhaps a little bit, that first year taught me a lot." He nodded. "But I'm a twenty three young adult, alright? I can take care of myself."

"I know, ma'am. What I mean..." He sighed through his nose. "As your friend, I am concerned, Allana." I blinked. In our time working together he has never called me by my name, meaning his concern was big. I smiled and my hand fell on his shoulder.

"I know, and I appreciate it." He nodded as I patted his armour. "I'll be fine. I'm not on my own, Anakin will be right beside me." I looked over my shoulder and saw him patiently waiting for me as he spoke with Obi-Wan. He smiled at me when our eyes met. "He's always right beside me," I looked back at my Commander. "and he'll look after me even if he doesn't know yet. You've got nothing to worry about."

"If you say so, sir." I nodded.

"Wolffe!" Cal called from the ship. "Come on, man. We've got somewhere to be!" He got lost in the ship again and Wolffe sighed while I chuckled.

"Better get going, otherwise Captain Kestis will become insufferable." He said and I laughed.

"Indeed. Be careful, Commander."

"You too, General." He put on his helmet.

"Report to me when you arrive and make sure to send a signal if you need me. I'll hop in the next shuttle and get there." He nodded.

"We'll see you back at our base." I nodded and he walked away. In a moment, the ramp of the ship slid back up and the gate closed. I saw from the corner of my eye how Anakin stood beside me now.

"Everything alright?" He asked as the engines started and the ship took off.

"Yeah, I just asked Wolffe to look after Cal and talked strategy, also gave a few last orders for the 104th." He nodded.

"Alright." He sighed and I looked at him as we started walking into the hangar. "Windu's checking some intel given by Echo, he says we'll have a meeting in a few minutes."

"Define 'a few minutes'."

"Twenty minutes." I nodded.

"I could use a nap. I'm tired." His turn to nod.

"Let me take you to our resting areas." I smiled.

"Thanks." We walked all the way towards a place with a grey metallic door. He typed some pin on the controls and the door slid open for us. I looked around and no one looked at us. No one cared about us. The people that noted stuff weren't looking, and I could use that to our advantage.

Both of us stepped in and I looked around the dark room. The only light provided was the one given by a few lightbulbs but it was very dim, almost nonexistent; we were standing before plenty of trunk beds and it smelled like a garage.

"So, this is it. My bed's the last one to the left. Not the one at the top, but the bottom." He said. I nodded and turned around, pulling him by the robes to move him away from the door. In a second, my hands found his neck and I kissed him.

I breathed out through my nose as I hummed against his lips when his hands found my lower back and he deepened the kiss. It was a touch we have been starved from for a very long time. Almost five months, that was a criminal amount of time apart from each other. Anakin's hands started to move towards my waist and I panicked, so I broke the kiss slowly, smiling against his lips.

"Everything alright?" He asked. "You trembled for a second."

"Everything's fine, I'm just...I really am tired." I said. "And I needed to kiss you." He smiled. That coy and playful smile characteristic of Skywalker appeared on his lips.

"You needed to kiss me?" I nodded. "I needed it too." He left a peck on my lips. "Sleep, my love. I'll come looking for you before the meeting starts." I nodded.

"Thank you." He walked out and the gate hissed closed. I let out a breath as I made my way towards the bed he said was his. When I laid down, I formed to sleep on my right side; the pillow case smelled like him. I closed my eyes and could pretend he was here, sleeping beside me. I placed my hand underneath the pillow and felt a disk in its sleeve, I took it out and found a holo-proyector.

When I turned it on, a picture of me appeared in blue. It had been taken by him on our anniversary last year, we went to Naboo and stayed at the lake house, we swam to our little island and he took it. I assumed every time he told me 'I'll see you before I sleep and in my dreams' before we hung up every call he didn't only mean it figuratively, but literally. I smiled and remembered the holo-disk I own myself, I hide it better though. Under the mattress.

"The boy's a hopeless romantic." I said under my breath as I turned it off and placed it back where I found it before I closed my eyes.

  As I drifted into my sleep I thought of a hundred possible ways to tell him he was going to be a father. Again. And the same thing that happens to me whenever I think of it started. I felt fear. Last time we found ourselves in this situation, I lost the baby. How could he fell? What will happen to us now that it's happened again? How can I tell him? Is there a right or a wrong way to say it? Should I just drop the bomb?

  I didn't know the answer to any of these questions. I sighed and placed my hand over my womb feeling the baby's kick and fell deeply asleep only a moment later.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

author's note:
happy new year, lovely people. here's the long awaited chapter of 'demons'. i intended to publish it for christmas but lost track of time, apologies! but here it is, enjoy!

i hope this new year brings joy to your lives and you have a lovely time.

sending you loads of love and a hug to wherever you are. stay safe and drink some water.
-mare.