Star Wars does not belong to me. Just Sky and Co.

Sorry to keep ya'll waiting for so long! I've just recently started a new job, so my head's not really been into writing lately. Hopefully this chapter will help to atone for my absence...

Big thanks to Parker Fallon, Guest, Kelana-ti, Panda, Janizary, and SaintOfAllSaints01 for reviewing the last chapter. Ya'll are awesome!

It had taken Skylar, Lyle, and Tor Squad a full week to get all the preparations in order for their self-assigned mission. Which was long enough for little Teanna to realize what was going on with her mother.

"Tea, for the last time, baby, this is really important," Skylar said, gritting her teeth.

"But Daddy said that you're not allowed to go on missions, Mama!" Tea nearly yelled back.

Skylar sighed, forcing herself to stay calm. Tea was right of course, Fives would have a heart attack if he learned what his pregnant wife was planning. But he's not going to figure it out. At least, not until after we make it back.

"It's not a mission, ad'ika, it's surveillance. I'm keeping an eye on your uncles while they get some information. That's all, Tea. There's no reason to raise your voice at me."

Her little girl looked up at her with teary hazel eyes, "But what if you do get attacked, like when you went to Florrum?"

The look on her four-year-old's face was almost enough to make Skylar give in right then and there, but she was a Mando and stubbornness was literally in her blood. Plus, this mission wasn't just for herself. If the Death Watch was planning on making a comeback, the Republic needed to be prepared. If they weren't, then the galaxy as they knew it would literally cease to exist. The Death Watch was brutal and their long past had proved that mercy wasn't in their vocabulary. She was doing this for her children's future. "This isn't like that, Tea. Not at all. And you can't tell anyone, not even your father."

"But-"

"It's surveillance only, ad'ika, I doubt I'll even have to leave the ship. Your Daddy will just blow it out of proportion and get himself into deep trouble for no reason at all. Okay?"

"Okay. But I don't like it."

"I know, Tea," she said gently, rubbing the little girl's montrals and lekku gently. "I know, but, sometimes we have to do things we don't like to keep the people we love safe. Do you understand?"

Tea nodded slowly, "I think so."

Skylar breathed a sigh of relief, "That's my girl."

"But you have only one week. If you take longer, then I will send Daddy and Uncle Rex after you."

The Mando woman chuckled, "I wouldn't have it any other way, ad'ika."

Skylar huffed in irritation as Wreck wordlessly took her pack off of her shoulder. She opened her mouth to object as he slung it over his own shoulder, but the former sergeant silenced her with a stern look and a verbal reminder, "You're only going with us because you agreed to do what we say. You're almost four months pregnant and all I have to do is make one call to your hubby that'll ground you. So, if you want to go, you'd best keep quiet and let me carry this."

She glared at Wreck's back as he jogged up the loading ramp of their ship, the same YT that Tor Squad had hi-jinked when they'd lost Devrin. It also happened to be the only vessel available to them that wasn't loaded with GAR tracers. The last thing her boys needed was for the Republic to find out that they were running missions behind the Army's back.

"You know better than to challenge him, ori'vod," Jinx spoke up from beside her.

"I wasn't-"

"Your face said that you were thinking about it. Besides, he was right about the pack, it looked much heavier than our regulation standard."

"Jinx, I'm not helpless. You know that."

"We know, sis," Dover spoke up as he joined them. "With as many times as you've wiped the floor with our shebse..." He patted her belly, "But you can't overexert yourself like you're used to anymore. At least not until after the baby gets here, okay?"

"Fine, but I still don't like it."

Jinx chuckled at her expression as Lyle passed them with a few more bags, "Now I know where Tea gets it."

"Gets what?"

"The pouting!" Wreck shouted from the top of the loading ramp.

Dover and Jinx laughed while Lyle and Wreck looked back at her with amused smiles.

Skylar just huffed again and climbed the ramp without another word. No sense in encouraging them further.

Wreck caught her elbow as she tried to pass him, "Hey, don't be like that. It's just, well, you've taken care of us for so long that it's high time we returned the favor. Let us help you, alright?"

She gave him a resigned look, "Alright, fine."

Kot could barely pay attention to anything Hew, Doz, and Top were saying during the briefing that he was currently being forced to sit still for in Zey's office. The commando was clenching his fists to keep himself from tapping his thigh plate, all while trying to ignore the knowing glances that his brothers kept sending his way. His squad's mission had not taken near as long as he'd expected and all he'd wanted to do since they'd bombed that Seppie factory in the Outer Rim was to get back home as soon as possible to check on Zephyr. He'd promised her that he'd contact her as soon as possible, but there had never been an opportunity throughout the entire mission. She's probably going crazy.

General Zey's voice finally broke through to him, "Was there something you needed to speak with me about, Kot?"

"Hmm?" He looked up from his clenched fists to find that he was the only one of his squad still in the General's office. His brothers were standing in the doorway, looking back at him with concern. He'd been so caught up with worrying about his newest friend that he'd zoned out. Again.

He shook his head at the general's questioning gaze, "No sir. I just... zoned out. That mission took more out of me than I thought."

The Jedi's face turned sympathetic, "I understand, Kot. Unfortunately I can only afford to give you boys a few days to recuperate. Get as much rest as you can."

"Yes sir." With that, he stood and walked out and down the hall, Beta falling into step with him.

"Thinking about your girlfriend again, Kot?" Doz asked, ducking to avoid a warning smack from Hew.

Their sergeant gave the jokester a disapproving glare, "Can it, Doz. This isn't a joking matter."

"I wasn't joking, Hew. I was being serious."

"You? Serious? Now that's funny," Top added from Kot's left side.

"Seriously guys. Kot-"

"Don't even start with me, Doz. Zeph is a friend, nothing more," Kot warned, his jaw clenched. "Need I remind you that she's just a kid?"

"Need I remind you that sixteen is marrying age for us Mandos?" Doz shot back. Kot opened his mouth but Doz spoke again before he get anything out, "It's clear that you both are good for each other by the way she was clinging to you when we left and by the look you get on your face every time she's mentioned. And need I mention how much better she's gotten since you found her? That wasn't 'cause of us."

"I hate to say it, since it's really none of our business anyway, but he's right, Kot."

"You're right Hew, it is none of your business. Besides, I don't care for her in that way."

Doz looked nothing if not triumphant, "And how many times do I have to tell you to leave the lying to me? You suck at it."

"I do not-"

"I'd have to agree with him, Kot," Top spoke up quietly. "I know you better than these two knuckleheads, vod'ika. I also get that you don't want to talk about it. The teenager thing is a hurdle, yes, but it seems to me like you two don't just care about each other. She needs you and you need her."

He's right. No sense in denying it. I haven't been able to get her off my mind since we left. Funny how I didn't realize how much I cared about her until after Sky pried her off me.

"And since we're not necessarily guaranteed tomorrow, I'd kiss her as soon as we get back to Deena's place." Doz interjected, earning a withering glare from all three of his squadmates. "What? I'm just saying."

Kot shook his head, "That'll only scare her, Doz. That scumbag came onto her without warning. If I just kiss her out of the blue, no matter how much I want to, it'll just remind her of the time she got raped."

"Then take it slow," Top reasoned.

"Okay, slow." Doz is right, though. Time is the one thing we don't have.

ad'ika = little one

ori'vod = big sister

shebse = backsides

vod'ika = little brother

Please R&R.