Fox wasn't a people person, especially if that person was not a blood relative. And even then, his brothers really pushed his buttons sometimes.

The list of people that he tolerated beyond his brothers was extremely short. And as far as children went? He didn't understand them, know what to do with them, or really how to interact with them in general. Thus, he typically went out of his way to avoid coming face to face with the mini, sticky-handed natborns. Besides, wasn't Binks Duty close enough to child-sitting?

With such limited experience, he was still questioning who gave him the assignment of being chauffeur to a ship full of kids. In reality, there were only three but that seemed like plenty enough to him. If he had to take a guess on who volunteered him, it was probably his dear wife who had garnered quite an affinity for the kids that Clone Force 99 had rescued from the secret lab on Tantiss.

Since Palpatine was somehow dead, the galaxy was a much better place. While working to dismantle his extensive Imperial network, the reborn Republic had discovered atrocities upon atrocities the self-proclaimed Emperor had hidden in the shadows. The revelation of the inhibitor chips had been quite the scandal. It had almost caused Riyo to go to that wrinkled prune's unmarked grave and resurrect him just so that she could end him again. These kidnapped kids were just the latest victims of his cruelty and dark ambitions.

"Um, sir?"

A soft voice broke Fox from his train of thought, and he inadvertently jolted in his pilot's seat. Yikes, as a former Commander, one would think his situational awareness would have been sharper.

His heart had no right to drop like that as he realized his sudden movement had startled the young Pantoran girl that had sidled up to his side. Her gaze darted to the ground as she shrank away from him, pulling the young child in her arms closer to her and turning herself so that she was shielding him.

Fox made sure to keep his tone gentle as he asked, "Did you need something?"

He silently hoped that if she did, it would be something he could help with.

Sami seemed to unfreeze and relaxed considerably at his soft tone. She took a deep breath, nervously gathering her courage before speaking. "Bayrn wants a snack."

Oh, was that it? Fox quietly thanked his lucky stars that she hadn't requested help for a diaper change. He would've been no help there.

He must've remained quiet for too long as Sami amended, "But I can try looking again. I don't wanna bother you."

Fox swiveled his chair around and stood, silently scolding himself when this seemed to be a bad move on his part as the young girl flinched away from him. He quickly assured her, "It's no trouble at all."

He rummaged through the storage compartments, knowing that between Echo and Emerie, there definitely wasn't a shortage of anything aboard for the kids. The silence typically wouldn't have bothered him and he would have welcomed it, but he couldn't help but feel slightly awkward with two pairs of eyes boring holes into the back of his head.

Fortunately, he found the snacks quickly enough. The bags spilled from the storage compartment when he opened the top shelf and smacked him in the face. Bayrn laughed and clapped at the new mess.

Fox picked up a bag and calculatingly eyed the crackers and the baby. Natborns matured far slower than clones. Was he old enough to have solid foods or was he still at the mushy food stage?

Reading his puzzled expression, Sami helpfully provided, "He can have those."

She hesitantly pulled the bag from his outstretched hand and ambled toward the back of the ship. She settled with Bayrn in her lap, keeping him close as if afraid he would be suddenly snatched from her.

"It's been a long trip. Did you want something too?" offered Fox.

Sami appeared surprised that he had even thought of her. Fox was painfully reminded of himself when he had first met Riyo, so shocked that anyone would bother to offer him common decency.

The former trooper could see the polite refusal forming on her lips. Before she could get the words out, he assured her as he passed her bag, "There's plenty to go around."

To encourage her further, he grabbed a bag for himself as well and casually sat cross legged a comfortable distance from her.

Now it seemed that Sami had a different concern, pointedly peering at the cockpit. "Don't you need to pilot?"

Fox hazarded a brief glance at the controls. "Nah, we're on a steady course."

They all munched on their snacks in awkward silence. The awkwardness wasn't helped by the fact that Sami and Fox couldn't quite resist shooting inquisitive looks at each other and accidentally caught each other's gaze each time.

Right, Riyo was usually better at handling personal relations than he was. But he was a war veteran. Surely talking to kids couldn't be that difficult. Since his wife seemed to have grown quite close to the rescued children during their temporary stay, she seemed like the safest conversation topic.

"So, are you excited to get back to your family? You get to tell them you met the Pantoran Senator."

Instead of answering, Sami seemed to deflate at the mention of her family and her golden eyes took on a tearful sheen.

Fox panicked. Quick! Divert the conversation!

"Wasn't Mrs. Chuchi so nice?"

There. That was a harmless question with only one answer.

Sami nodded.

Fox couldn't keep pride from warming his tone as he informed her, "Did you know she's my wife?"

Sami smiled at the sappiness that had seeped into his voice. "I know. Mrs. Chuchi told us about you."

He tilted his head and couldn't help but ask with a hint of concern in his voice, "She did? Was it good?"

His worry melted away at the young girl's answer. "She told us to not let your grumpy face scare us because you're actually a big softie inside and that you're her knight in shining armor." She shyly noted, peering over at him, "I think she was right. You all are like heroic knights from the fairytales."

Fox chuckled, valiantly managing to keep the pain from his rueful laughter. Of course she would see him and his brothers as such seeing as they stormed Tantiss and freed them. If only she knew how his kind had wiped out the true Knights of the galaxy.

"Do you have any stories?" asked Sami, leaning forward eagerly.

Ah, there it was. That childish spark of curiosity that replaced her traumatized caution.

Fox failed to wrack his brain for a good story before Bayrn made an odd expression as he scrunched his nose in concentration, interrupting their pleasant conversation.

Before Fox could ask what that meant, Sami quickly pulled the baby Tarlafar from her lap and held him away from her. A mildly disgusted and exasperated expression crossed her face. "Oh, Bayrn."

From the context clues and the stench that assaulted his nostrils, Fox was able to quickly deduce what had just happened. Oh Maker.

As the technical adult in the room and feeling like he ought to be the responsible, he stepped up despite never actually changing a diaper in his life. Sami was kind enough to coach him through the process.

Just as he was about to slip the new nappy on the little one, it turned out that Bayrn was not completely finished with his potty break.

"What the–" Fox narrowly avoided cursing in front of the kids.

Bayrn was unabashedly laughing while Sami at least tried to appear somewhat empathetic though there was also a small grin on her face as she pinched her fingers over her nose.

Two thoughts raced through his mind simultaneously. One being how he'd never smelled something so horrendous before and the second being how he wouldn't ever be able to get that stain from the seat now.

Fortunately, he managed to keep his cool under extreme duress and successfully completed the task. He even managed to get the cabin smelling somewhat acceptable before they reached their destination.

Fox was almost sad to hand over the Bayrn to his overjoyed mother. Almost. He'd miss the little tyke, just not the waste products he produced. 

When it was finally down to just him and Sami, Fox was pleased to see more signs of her youthfulness shine through as she dared to question him about flying the ship and navigation. He had originally feared that her time in Tantiss had ground her spirit to dust. However, he quickly learned that Sami was as spritely and talkative as any other child, especially when she wasn't concerned about being scolded or doting on the wellbeing of others. 

It kind of reminded him of himself when he was in the strenuous position of Marshal Commander. But he quickly pulled himself from that train of thought as it wouldn't be any good for him to get attached to the child he was supposed to be returning to her family.

As they grew closer to their destination, Fox expected Sami to become relatively excited. Instead, her expression shone with mounting dread. She became reticent for the rest of their flight, even when he tried to coax her to talk about stories with her siblings in exchange for stories of his brothers. 

He soon came to realize the cause for her haunted expression as he landed. The fresh layer of powdery snow did little to hide the toppled structures of homes and businesses. The area around them lay deathly still.

As if drawn by an invisible string, Sami slowly made her way to what appeared to be the epicenter of whatever destruction had taken place. Fox followed, his horrible suspicions confirmed as the young girl fell to her knees in front of what had surely once been an impressive home.

A voice cut through the silence and Fox's had flew to his blaster as a wary-eyed Rodian stepped from the ruins. "If you're looking for the Shirole clan, you search in vain."

A tattered cloak hung from her shoulders and her spindly fingers were curled around an old blaster of her own. Underneath the hood of her cloak, her turquoise skin was worn and drawn.

Sami was just barely aware of the goings on around her as great hiccuping sobs overtook her as she scanned the razed village and her home.

The Rodian survivor's wary features softened just slightly and she looked on in sympathy at the grieving girl. An expression of vague shock crossed her face as she caught a glimpse of Sami's clan tattoos.

"You're sure that there were no survivors?" questioned Fox, hoping against hope that the traumatized child in front of him was not alone in the galaxy.

The Rodian shook her head, "No, the Empire was very thorough. We don't even know why they attacked in the first place. I'm surprised you found that one." Slow understanding dawned in her expression and her mistrust returned. "Let the child pay her respects, but she must go. We have had enough calamity for a lifetime."

Fox realized that news of the current government reconstruction must not have reached her yet. Try as he might to get the Rodian to understand that there was no more Empire in place to oppress them, she was adamant that they be on their way.

"No! No more dealings with anyone. I won't die because you have brought a hunted one back here."

With that, she turned and fled back into the maze of destroyed buildings.

Once he was certain she was gone, Fox knelt in the snow beside the shivering child and pulled her close to his side. He knew it was not the cold that was making her shiver so.

"Did you know?" he asked softly.

Sami nodded her head miserably. "I-I h-hoped I was wrong, th-that someone would still be here. B-but... I'm alone." She tucked herself more firmly in his lap and buried her head in his chestplate, seeking comfort.

Something. An undeniable feeling that Fox later learned to be paternal instinct washed over him. He hesitated for only a moment before allowing his arm to drape over her protectively.

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry," he breathed repeatedly as she let out her despair.

If Fox could go back, he would gladly kill Palpatine all over again. Slowly. 

A thought, the mere inkling of an idea began forming in his head. A rash but oh-so wonderful plan. "I'm sorry that we let a monster get into power and let him tear the galaxy apart. I know what it's like to lose family too. But... I also know what it's like to gain a new one. No matter how horrible or empty the galaxy may seem, you're not alone."

Sami pulled her head from his chestplate to cast him a doubtful look.

He continued solemnly, "Don't ever think you're alone. I haven't known you long, but I can see you are too precious a girl to think that you are unloved. Anyone who doesn't is stupid and blind. You have a whole bunch of friends back on Pabu who care deeply for you."

He dared to briefly shed insight into the plight of the clones, hoping that she would trust where he was going with this. "Because of Palpatine, I'm alive but we clones don't have much of a culture of our own. Whatever bits we do have is from the Mandalorian roots of our genetic donor."

He swallowed thickly and mustered his courage. "There's a simple ritual in Mandalorian culture that allows us to adopt any person as our own. It's called gai bal manda, meaning name and soul. All I have to do is say a short phrase to declare you as my child. I would like to do this with you."

"Y-you would?" Sami's tearful golden eyes stared at him in wonderment and desperate hope.

"If you would have me," said Fox. "I'm not trying to replace the family you've lost. I know I can't, but I want to offer you the certainty that you are not a lost child and that you will be safe and loved."

After an agonizingly long moment, Sami finally threw her thin arms around his neck and told him in her in quiet tone. "I haven't known you long either, but I think Mrs. Chuchi's stories about you were wrong. You're better than the fairytale knights."

Fox's face twisted into a bittersweet smile. He certainly hoped he could one day live up to her high perception of him.

He returned her embrace, uttering lowly, "Ni kyr'tayl gai sa'ad, Sami."

~~~~~~~

Upon his return and after settling Sami in for bed, Fox felt there really was no right way to explain how he had dived headfirst into fatherhood and was now subsequently dragging Riyo into parenthood without her express agreement. However, he did his best to ease his wife into the topic, "Have you thought about having kids?"

Riyo's head snapped up, the briefest flash of joy and surprise crossed her expression, "Have you?!"

He didn't allow her to dodge the question, "I asked you first."

A violet blush started to form on her face. "Well- I... yes!" Her eyebrows knit together into a confused frown. "But I thought you..."

Fox cringed, already knowing what she was thinking. "It's not that I don't like them, I realize. I just don't know what to do with them."

"You were a kid once," pointed out Riyo, a teasing lilt to her tone.

"Briefly," clarified Fox.

He had meant it in a joking manner, but Riyo's face grew pinched at the unsubtle reminder of the injustices that he and his brothers had suffered through.

Fox shuffled his feet nervously as he clarified, "So, so you wouldn't be opposed to having kids?"

"No! Of course I want to have kids with you. I just always thought we'd... Well, I guess it is after the war, isn't it? But there's still so much to rebuild and-," Riyo caught herself mid-ramble, picking up on Fox's obvious apprehension. "What's got you so nervous?"

"Well, I... kinda went ahead and got a kid for us," he admitted quickly.

Quite a few emotions flitted across Riyo's face. She settled for neutral, "Oh?" and arched her eyebrow in a way that clearly meant 'go on.'

Fox facepalmed and continued speaking rapidly to cover for his lack of eloquence. "You know how Echo taught Emerie about gai bal manda, our traditional adoption ritual, and she did that for Eva? Well, I went through the ceremony with Sami while on her home planet, so according to customs, I'm her adoptive parent now. And since you're my wife, that means..."

First, a brief flicker of relief then stunned understanding overtook her expression. "She's yours... ours?"

Tears pricked the corners of her eyes and Fox panicked for a second. If she wasn't happy with his decision, he didn't know what he'd do. It wasn't like he would ever even consider going back on his vow to Sami, but Riyo was his wife. How could he possibly be made to choose sides?

However, Riyo's next words lifted his spirits. "Oh, Fox. When you do things like this, you give me hope that we truly are building toward a better future." She surged forward, capturing his lips with her own in a loving kiss. "I would be honored to have Sami as my daughter and to give her a home." She smiled up at him. "Provided you'll be at my side to be the brilliant husband and father I know you will be?"

"Always," swore Fox in a low, solemn tone before pressing his lips to hers again.