Author's Note: Welcome to the start of the story again all art displayed in any chapters isn't mine, and credit is given to those who drew them.

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May 4th, 2023
Earth
Unknown POV

The cry of a newborn woke me from my sleep, I blinked my eyes trying to focus them as my mate moved beside me "Go back to sleep Lilith, I'll take care of our little kit," a sleepy voice said to me.

I reached over and turned on the lamp as he got out of the bed and walked over to the crib on the other side of the room. His toned back flexing as he leaned over the side of the crib and picked up a swaddled bundle in hues of pink, red, and white. His skin was a rich tan, as the muscles in his arms flexed around the bundle holding our daughter in a strong but soft hold, his dark hair wisped in front of his face in curls the sides of his head by his ears peppered in gray. My husband and mate walked over with our daughter as I sat up and moved to get ready to breastfeed her, I wanted her to feed on my breast as much as possible, due to having Hypoplasia of the breast. Kix and Tranq were hard at work trying to duplicate the natural milk from my breast. Which the pair had left for Kamino after our daughter being born, which left Helix.

Our little kit was born the day Fox and I got handfasted during Beltane, which had been the day before. The Priestess who had been present respected the Mandalorian wedding vows and allowed us to renew them before the people I called my family and friends. Ironically the Mandalorian wedding vows could be said in private or before witnesses. Fox knew from the last Beltane what was the custom of clothing to wear. My mother's biological parents as well as my father's parents had been present for the wedding, my mother's adoptive parents...well they were turned away before the wedding. The bastards even brought a Catholic Priest with them to 'exercise' the demons.

Much to my delight and surprise Jango and Obi-Wan were able to make it with Anakin and Padme and their twins Luke and Leia. A tear came to my eyes as I remembered the comment of the late Carrie Fisher's daughter sent over Twitter when we posted our marriage photos. It was as if her mother was there with us in spirit, a woman that I grew to admire, and inspired to be. The rest of the vode spent the rest of the night like everyone else dancing the night away with a roaring bonfire while drinking homemade wine and spirits. Obi-wan seemed like a youngling on life day. It was about 2 in the morning of May 2nd as Fox and I shared a traditional Beltane wedding dance did my water break, much to everyone's amusement.

By 6 in the morning our daughter Ca'tra which meant night sky. For it was night when she wished to greet the world around her; Waya which was my mother's native name before it was changed to Amanda, and it was Cherokee for Wolf, then she had the combination of my father's and her father's last names. McCleod-Fett. She was born 8 pounds 11 ounces and was 9 inches, she was perfect. She had her father's eyes and curly hair all thanks to Jango's genes. Luckily Wolffe wasn't on Earth at the time of her birth, because in a way she was named after her uncle too.

Currently, Ca'tra was suckling away at my breast as Fox, went about going to the restroom. A knock on the door caught my attention as I glanced up to see Jango standing in the doorway. From the moment Fox and Jango saw Ca'tra for the first time they were wrapped around her tiny little fingers "She's hungry isn't she?" Jango asked.

I nodded tiredly, even though I was cleared from the hospital after putting up a fuss, about them keeping my daughter and I longer than was needed I had my damn doctors on call and they could do a better damn job than any of them. As soon as Ca'tra was finished feeding I burped her which she let out quite the burp let me tell you. Fox stood in the doorway with a shocked look on his face as Jango howled with laughter "Ca'tra!" Fox exclaimed in mock horror.

I couldn't help but laugh also. Ca'tra seemed to snuggle closer against me as Jango walked over "You and Fox need rest, Obi-wan and I will watch her while you two sleep." he offered.

Jango was protective of his grandchildren, which so far there were only four Freeman's son Connor, Cut's twins, and now Ca'tra and she had seen Jango wreck a battalion of Battle Droids over Cut's twins, needless to say, you didn't want to get between Jango and his grandbabies. I handed Ca'tra to her grandfather who held her in his arms and left the room while Fox and I snuggled closer together, the past 5 years of my life had been a whirlwind, but I was grateful to not only the spirits but my gods of whom I prayed to.

Fox's arms wrapped around me as he held me close kissing my lips softly "What are you thinking about cyare'ika?" he asked softly

"About the first time we met," she replied softly.

Fox groaned "Yeah, my jaw remembers it quite well, Lilith,"

She giggled at that and kissed his jaw "At least I didn't shoot you with your pistol like I did with Rex," she replied.

Fox chuckled at that, lucky for them it had been on stun so she merely knocked him out, but damn if she didn't hear about it after that! Lilith curled up closer to her husband and mate, as she thought back over 5 years that lead her to where she was today.

*******

January 2019

Lilith age: 17

It was Friday and I would be returning to school the day after tomorrow since December I had been planning out my life before me, grant it my father left my mother and I want for nothing, but I wanted to follow in my father's boots and become a Marine. I didn't do it for the money or the glory that came with it, I didn't do it because I wanted to shoot someone, I did it because I wanted to protect my country, the country I was born into. My mother had come with me to the recruitment office, and I filled out all the paperwork. I knew in my heart I was doing the right thing as I had finished filling out the last form and getting up to hand the paperwork to the recruitment officer who took it without a word.

My father fought and died for this country; leaving my mother and I behind when I was but a girl, now I was months away from being a woman, they would allow me to do basic training on weekends and during spring break, but after graduation...I was all theirs. To officially celebrate my joining of the Marines my mother allowed me to get my first Tattoo, of course with all that was going on in this country I knew I had to put the people first; it would be my oath as a soldier of the United States of America. The country itself was divided with the Democratic party trying to gain control over a man who had kept his promise to the American people. They claimed he was bad, no, he was what the country needed he stepped up to the plate and did what needed to be done, much like George Washington did when this nation first rose from the ashes of a King who cared nothing of his people only the money he could make off of them.

Sadly America was repeating its mistakes.

I prayed to the gods of whom I worshiped every night to guide my path, and guide me they did. I sat in the chair looking over my Facebook to see several posts about Native Americans who had their children taken from them. My mother was full-blooded Cherokee, meaning I was half, the Tattoo artist began to put the tattoo I had chosen on a transfer sheet and put it up to my ribs it was a dream catcher with a fox head turned as if to look over its a shoulder with red and white feathers beaded into its fur. My mother smiled knowing exactly who it was meant for...my soulmate, whose name I carried over my left breast over my heart.

It took hours, but once it was finished it looked stunning right along my rib cage. I would have to be careful with the next couple of days. We went to McDonald's after that where we got some Caramel Fraps and some large fries before heading out. Along the way, I was looking at the thread that I had seen earlier on my Facebook "Hey, mom?" I asked

"Yes, my little doe?" she asked.

That was her nickname for me ever since I could remember, I was her little doe. I licked my lips nervously "Have you ever thought about finding your biological parents?" I asked

"Why do you ask?" she asked.

I told her about how many Native Families across the country are still looking for their children; children taken from the reservations to be raised in 'Christian loving' homes. My mother looked at me in shock before she sighed sadly "I was always told that they didn't want me, that they had given me up willingly because they couldn't afford to care for me." my mother said.

It broke my heart to hear her say that; ever since my father died, my mother and I have struggled, before my father's parents died we were forced to live with my mother's adoptive parents; which was a complete nightmare, I would have to go off into the woods just to practice my magic and to worship my gods and goddesses, always having to live in fear. My mother knew of it, but she never spoke of it needless to say things came to a head when I showed up to school one day sore, beaten from the waist down by my mother's adopted father after they discovered my Book of Shadows. Which caused DFCS to get involved, leaving me with PTSD due to the investigator getting handsy, needless to say, those spy pens, with built-in video and voice sure came in handy, because of that the investigator is sitting behind bars.

I had to go through months of therapy and had been prescribed drugs that didn't make me feel good at all, so I turned to a more traditional form of medicine which my therapist agreed with. Redbush or Rooibos, Valerian Root, Chamomile, Lime Blossom or Linden, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Peppermint, and Passionflower, were all natural safer ways of dealing with PTSD and its symptoms than the crap they had me on. I enjoyed having a cup of whatever herb I had decided to drink for a particular month. Shortly after my father's parents passed away, we were left with their house with 800 acres that were 15 miles east of a Cherokee reservation. When we arrived home my mother set to work on getting her adoption records which by law she was allowed to have.

As my mother and I had dinner she looked at me "Lilith, I know you hate it when I tell people you don't have a soulmate mark, but understand that no one would understand that you have a fictional character or someone who is supposed to be fictional as a soulmate," she said

"It doesn't help that those mean 'parents' say the reason I don't have a soulmate is because of my religion, that I am the mate of the devil and should be given extra punishment," I said looking down at my plate.

The tears pricked my eyes, but never fell, my father's parents had adored me; but they hated my mother's adopted parents with a passion. Hell, the last time I saw either of them was shortly before they joined Lord Apu in the Field of Reeds, and they were the ones who helped me on my Wiccan path. My and I got jobs to pay bills until we found out that the house had solar power and well water, but having money did help us get other things.

Like how I got a brand new Book of Shadows, to replace the one that those hate-filled people who adopted my mother burned, all of the small statues were replaced with ones that I had made by hand from pieces of wood that I found laying on the ground. Each one of them widdled and painted after to the likeness of the god or goddess they represented. At night I would lay on the balcony that was outside my room and look up at the star-filled sky wondering what star could be the one that my soulmate resided in...I sighed sadly the Clone Wars may have already done gone, and my soulmate dying at the hands of Anakin Skywalker...I couldn't bear the thought, but something deep down told me he was alive, out there, and I wondered if he looked up at the star-filled sky and thought of me as I did of him. I finally sighed deciding that it was time for me to head to bed for the night with a soft but sad smile on my face "I wish you were here my love,"

July 4th, 2019

Lilith age: 18

I was called into the CO's office; good guy a real good guy, I had made Lance Corporal thanks to my time in JORTC in high school. I stood at attention before my CO's desk "At ease, Lance Corporal," he said.

I went to stand at ease as he stood up from his chair "I received a phone call from your mother's parents," he said.

I rolled my eyes, even as a Marine I couldn't stand them and my CO knew why too, they had shown up on base saying how I would be the first to die and go to hell like all the baby-killing soldiers; mind you these are the same people who support abortion. My CO chuckled at that "Sadly they didn't call to say how we were all going to hell, but they did sound rather distressed." he said.

I began to feel panic set in had something happened? Did they do something to my mother? My CO bowed his head "You are on leave until we are shipped out," he said

"Why sir?" I asked.

My CO looked up at me sadly "Your mother, was involved in a deadly car crash...I'm sorry Lilly, she didn't make it." he said.

I felt my knees buckle as my CO rushed around his desk to catch me as I began to cry I had no one left, I was stuck with my mother's abusive adoptive parents, and there was nothing I could do...

Location Unknown

Unknown POV

Something caused me to look up at the night sky, and an invisible hand of pain gripping my heart. Without realizing it I was reaching for the soulmate mark of whose language didn't identify in any of the data banks. Even the Jedi Temple had no such knowledge of the language on my left wrist. Was my soulmate in pain out there somewhere? Somewhere so far from me that I couldn't be at their side "Fox?" a voice asked.

I turned my head to see my brother Cody "It's nothing," I said

"You were reaching for your mark Fox, it's something," Cody said

"It doesn't matter, we're flesh droids, we don't have soulmates, and if we did they wouldn't want us," I said bitterly.

Cody looked at me sadly "You know that isn't true," he said.

I sighed we weren't alone because I felt a hand connect to the back of my bucket covered head "I don't want to hear that come out of any damn one of you again, am I clear Fox?" a voice that sounded much like our own voiced behind me.

I turned to greet the T-shaped visor of the Prime who was now pointing his finger in my face wiggling it around his face. I looked at the offending appendage cross-eyed, Jango had put his neck on the line for the vode, keeping those with soulmate marks from being decommissioned. All I knew at the time was somewhere out there my soulmate was hurting and there was nothing I could do about it. As the Prime complained Cody scoffed "This coming from the man who during a mission tried to grope my general!"

The Prime did what?!

Ending notes:

The comment of Cody calling out the prime for Groping Obi-Wan was thought up from the art above and below by the artist YUKIPRI_ART on Twitter or YUKIPRI on Tumbler, again all credit goes to the artist and more of this story in the next chapter.