Archive of Our Own

Genre: Romance/Sci-Fi
Chapters: 11, Words: 16,157
Original Publish Date: Jan 18, 2013

Disclaimer: All Star Wars characters are owned by Disney. I make no money from the writing or posting of this story. No copyright infringement is intended.

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Chapter 1

"Rex!" General Skywalker called out across the battlefield. "What's the status of our air support?"

"Cody says they're on their way, General," Rex shouted back. "Commander!"

Rex's last shout had been to warn Ahsoka about the droid sneaking up over the bunker where she was crouched. She stood up and flawlessly sabered him in half. "Thanks, Rex," she replied as she took off deeper into the fray.

Rex watched her run. She had certainly learned a lot in the past two years. He often wondered how much her Jedi training had prepared her for the field and how much was just her. She seemed to have melted into the company without any trouble. All the troopers liked her, especially the command troopers who got to 'socialize' with her a little more than the regulars. But more importantly, they all trusted her. She had proven herself to them all.

Ahsoka could bark out orders as fast as Skywalker. . . . .

When Ahsoka caught up to Anakin, she couldn't help baiting him, "Well, if this how all of your plans are always going to go, I think I should start doing the planning from here on." She risked a glance sideways to see if the remark had landed.

"Hey, you're the one who wanted to be a Padawan. You could be going to classes, meditating in the Gardens, and reading in the library at the Temple still. In fact, I could probably speak to Master Obi-Wan for you . . . ." he teased back.

"Whatever," Ahsoka rolled her eyes and deflected another blaster bolt away from her slim body. Flipping into the air and executing a twist mid-way, she landed on top of a droideka that had been flanking Anakin to the left. Driving her lightsaber down into the carapace of the droid, she leapt back off of it before it even hit the ground. "You wouldn't last out here without me anymore, Master."

Anakin snorted. "Ok, Snips. Why don't you circle around with Rex and the boys and meet me on the other side of this hill?"

"Race you to the other side," Ahsoka called as she ran in the direction he had indicated. Anakin sighed. Obi-Wan was right. She was picking up some of his personality traits. But she had to be more annoying that he was, wasn't she? He had to admit though that she wasn't the same little girl he had met on Christophsis.

Ahsoka caught up with Rex and his unit, and dove right in to deflecting more blaster fire. "Skyguy is going to meet us on the other side of the hill," she reported. "Rex, what did recon say was on the other side anyway?"

"Nothing but more droids, Commander," Rex answered.

But recon was wrong, very wrong.

Determined to beat Anakin to the rendezvous point, Ahsoka began bounding in Force leaps over the heads of battle droids, leaving her troops behind to mop them up. Rex observed her getting farther ahead with dismay. He wished she'd at least wear some armor if she was going to do things like that.

Anakin only got the slightest hint of danger from the Force before the concussion blew him and his troops back from the hill itself. It seemed the Seppies had a new toy. Anakin shook his head to clear it, and checked himself over for damage. Then he surveyed his men. They mostly seemed dazed like he had been.

"Well," he said to the nearest trooper, "That could have been a lot worse."

The comm blinked on, "General! She's down. The Commander is down!" And then all hell seemed to break loose. Or maybe that was all in his head. Anakin could only see red as he ran toward the blast point. He stood in the center and looked around for her.

Ahsoka had been nearly on top of the thing when it had blown. She had sensed it a second before the blast, so she tried a Force leap to clear herself. The power of the bomb and the power of her leap combined to propel her at a velocity she was unable to control. Her small body collided with several rocks before coming to rest awkwardly against the trunk of a tree. The tree itself had been skewed by her impact. Anakin was desperate to get to her.

Rex was right behind him.

"Ahsoka! Answer me!" Anakin called as he ran.

"Hey, kid! You all right?" Rex added.

Ahsoka cracked open an eyelid and groaned. Then she was unconscious.

Rex sucked in his breath. She looked so small and vulnerable even though she had seen as much action as any of them. He kneeled down next to her to feel for a pulse. Relieved, he finally let the breath out. It was steady if faint. He looked her over for blood and saw very little. A few scrapes here and there from hitting the rocks and tree. Hopefully it's not too bad, he thought. He reached out to lightly stroke her cheek.

"Evac her to the Resolute, Rex. Now!" Anakin ordered. "You go with her and oversee it personally. I'll handle the rest of these droids myself." Unable to look at Ahsoka's bent and obviously broken body, he retreated away from something he couldn't control to something he could. Anakin motioned the other troopers who weren't tasked with helping Ahsoka off the field to follow him into the firefight again. His anger fueled him for the next few hours.

Ahsoka was lifted gently onto a hover gurney. Rex kept a hand on the gurney even though the medics officially had custody of her now. She was transported back to the command center and from there to the Jedi Cruiser in orbit. Once safely onto the cruiser, Rex took a moment to comm the General.

"We've got the Commander secured onboard, Sir. Should I return to the surface?" Rex asked without hoping one way or the other. He would go where duty dictated.

"No, stay with her and give me regular updates, Captain," Anakin responded. Anakin wasn't going to trust just anyone to keep him updated on Ahsoka. He needed his best man on it. Even more than he needed him in the battle. To Anakin, Ahsoka's battle was more important. He would not lose his Padawan.

Rex observed as the droids began scanning and assessing Ahsoka's condition. They hooked her up to IVs and started a respirator. She looked too pale on the med table-internal bleeding, he wondered. She looked out-of-place in a room that was so bright white. She was the most colorful thing there. Rex leaned up against the glass, his helmet still on, and rested his forehead on his arm. "You're going to be fine, little one. You're going to be fine," he muttered to himself.

Chapter 2

Rex kept watch over Ahsoka all through the night and through her surgery the next day. She hadn't regained consciousness, but Rex liked to think that she knew he was there anyway.

After two more days of unresponsiveness, she finally opened those big, blue eyes. At first, she blinked rapidly at the bright light above her. As she became accustomed to it, she began to slowly take in her surroundings. Where am I, she thought. This isn't a battlefield. What about my troops?

She tried to push herself up out of the bed only to feel dizzy and weak at the slight effort. She had to give up and slump back to the pillow. Things started to make sense to her. All the white, the bed, the tubes embedded in her skin, and her weakness all said medbay.

Finally, her eyes rested on something familiar snoring lightly in a chair in the corner. At least the white on him was augmented by some blue: Rex. She calmed just at the sight of him. At least she knew he'd tell her what was going on. She studied his face for clues about their situation. Did Rex visit troopers when they were injured? It must be . . . bad?

He looked so relaxed. She rarely got to see him sleep. Ahsoka reached out through the Force. Rexy? she asked tentatively. Rex mumbled something, rolling his head to the opposite side. Then his eyes flew open. He had heard her.

"'Soka! I mean, Commander, you're awake," Rex snapped to attention. "How do you feel, sir?" She looked better but still not herself. Her beautiful colors were muted, like he was seeing her through a mist. Rex did not like it one bit.

Ahsoka smiled softly. "Sore," she croaked. Rex flinched at her voice and her answer. Ahsoka never complained about physical discomfort. That wasn't a good sign. "What happened?" she asked the foremost thing on her mind.

"Clankers. Bomb. You were injured. It's been three standard days," Rex decided to stick to the facts. "Um," then he stumbled, "You, uh, had surgery on your back. Damage to the vertebrae and nerves." Rex would leave the most important information to the doctor. They were used to that sort of thing. He was a soldier; he was out of his league here.

Luckily for Rex, the doctor appeared at that moment. "Well, I see we're awake," she said. "That's good. How do you feel, dear?"

Ahsoka gave her the same answer, "Sore. What's the damage, doctor?" Rex could tell she was trying not to look scared.

The doctor exchanged glances with Rex. He shrugged his helplessness. "Well," she began, "There was extensive damage. You're really lucky to have pulled through. Your field medics did an amazing job. But even after the surgery, you have a long road of rehab ahead of you if you want to regain use of your legs."

"What?" Ahsoka gasped. She had assumed she was on some powerful painkillers that were preventing her from moving or feeling below her waist. She never imagined that she was that hurt. She looked at Rex, vainly hoping that he would dispute the doctor's prognosis.

Rex was a mess. He had heard the doctor talk to the General about the Commander's condition, but witnessing her reaction to the news had just about undone him. Ahsoka not able to walk? Ahsoka not able to wield her lightsabers or perform her lithe acrobatics? It didn't seem possible. His lower lip trembled for a second before he got it under control. He needed to give her all the strength he could. So he frowned a bit and forced steel into his eyes.

"Doctor? Can you excuse us?" Rex asked.

"Sure. I'll be back around in a few hours, Ahsoka. Oh, and you are being transported back to Coruscant tomorrow to let the Temple healers help you more than we can here. From what I know of them, they can probably shorten that recovery period." She patted Ahsoka on a blanket-covered foot and left the room soundlessly.

Ahsoka could barely breathe. Temple? Coruscant? Legs? Bomb? It wasn't clicking in her brain. Rex stood up and approached the bed, not daring to reach out and touch her.

"Um, Commander Tano, the General will probably be back any minute now. He's been here most of the time. He just got called away to report to the Council. I'm sure he'll be here soon," he repeated himself. He was lost in trying to comfort this young woman who looked even younger in the large, sterile bed.

Ahsoka's eyes clouded up with tears. She reached out with a loose arm and placed her hand in Rex's gloved one. He squeezed the delicate appendage, hoping that it conveyed everything he couldn't say-he was sorry, he wanted to help, he didn't know what to do, he hoped she would be fine. All of it.

Ahsoka's tears began to fall in a torrent. Her frame was racked with the sobs. General Skywalker walked in on this tableau and frowned at Rex. What had he done?

"Rex, I've got her. You can go," Anakin dismissed Rex as if he had posted him as a guard and was relieving him. Rex wouldn't have budged for anything other than a direct order. He stood his ground.

"I'm all right staying, General," he replied. "I'm not on duty for a few more hours." He hoped the General would take the hint that he didn't want to be shown the door now that Ahsoka was awake. He tightened his grip on Ahsoka's hand briefly to reassure her that he was still there.

Anakin's scowl deepened, but he let it drop. He leaned over Ahsoka and put his hands on her shoulders, rubbing gently. "Ahsoka," he said gently. "Ahsoka, don't worry. You'll be fine. You're a Jedi Padawan. The Healers will fix everything in no time. You'll be fine," he finished lamely. Rex was smugly glad to see that the General was unnerved by a crying female too. Perhaps Rex wasn't as awkward as he had thought. But that didn't solve the problem of the distraught patient.

Ahsoka reached her other hand up toward her Master, seeking contact and comfort. She understood through her pain and sadness and fear that these two were doing their best to comfort her. They were better on a battlefield leading men to victory than they were in a medbay with an injured person. She doubted whether either of them had ever actually visited someone in recovery.

When Anakin grasped onto her hand, he realized that he could be helping her more through their training bond. He slowed his breathing and sent her comfort and reassurance through the Force. This sort of help actually helped, he was relieved to note.

Ahsoka's crying slowed as she calmed, but it had been intense enough to induce hiccups. After a few that echoed around the room, she couldn't help giggling a little. Rex and Anakin exchanged a look of confusion. Rex lifted his shoulders slightly in an "I don't get it" gesture.

"Snips?" Anakin asked softly. "Are you feeling any better?"

Through her hiccups, she answered as best she could, "Yes, (hic) Master. I'm sorry (hic). Everything just came (hic) crashing down on (hic) me at once. (hic) I'm sure the Healers will help (hic) me. I'm looking forward (hic) to seeing Barriss (hic) at least." She squeezed her hands in both of their larger ones. It figured that she would be the one in the hospital bed and reassuring the two of them.

"Well," Rex began, "I'll go then. I'll check back in on you before you're transferred." He gently placed her hand back onto the bed.

"Bye, Rex. And thanks," Ahsoka said weakly.

"General," he nodded to Skywalker. He exited the room without a glance backwards.

Ahsoka looked over at her Master. "How long was he in here? He looked stiff when he was walking."

"I sent him back here with you from the planet. As far as I know, he hasn't left your side. Rex is nothing if not loyal," Anakin replied.

Ahsoka looked thoughtful for a moment. Then she sighed and began wiping at the tears on her face. I probably look terrible after lying in a bed for days and then crying so much, she thought. Then all she felt was tired. Overwhelmingly tired. She tugged lightly at the hand her Master still held and placed it back on the bed herself.

"I'm really tired, Master. Do you think that you could call someone to help me roll over onto my side?" she asked. She didn't ask Anakin to touch her when she was in this condition. He looked skittish enough as it was.

"Sure thing, Snips. I'll go ask the nurse. And I'll be back to see you before you leave too." Anakin didn't know what else to do, so he just turned and walked out the door. But he did pause to look back at her. She was his responsibility, and this had happened on his watch. Maybe he wasn't ready for a Padawan.

Two days later, Rex came to see her off to Coruscant. "Feel better, Commander," he told her with a crisp salute.

"Rex, have you seen my Master? Is he coming?" she asked him hopefully.

"The General has been very busy, Commander. He couldn't get away, but he asked me to tell you 'May the Force be with you'," Rex answered. That might have been partially true, but Rex could tell that the General just couldn't bear to see her again. He was wallowing in guilt over her accident. As if he could control every Seppie bomb out there.

"Oh. Thanks, Rex," she said softly. She had had a feeling that Anakin wouldn't be there.

Chapter 3

Ahsoka spent the next two weeks in intensive healing sessions with several Healers at the Temple. Once the damage was repaired, she still needed physical therapy to get her body back into the shape it had been. As with all injured athletes, she progressed faster than anticipated as her muscles, tendons, and very bones sought out their previous shapes and uses.

Her time with Barriss was restful and fun. Having a girlfriend to chat with was a lot different from living on a battle cruiser with her Master and all of the troopers. But she missed them too. And after another week of work at the Temple, she was being sent back to her Master. She wouldn't have any active duty for a while yet, but her place was with him.

"What's it like to be Master Skywalker's Padawan, Ahsoka?" Barriss asked her.

"I don't know. It's like being anyone else's Padawan, I guess," Ahsoka wrinkled up her nose. What did Barriss mean?

"I have heard that he is . . . different from other Knights," Barriss explained further. "That he doesn't necessarily, um, conform to the Code as much as some others."

"Oh, that!" Ahsoka laughed. "Yeah, Master Skyguy can be unorthodox, that's for sure. Master Obi-Wan likes to say that Anakin will be the death of him. I think he's said it about fifty times this month! But I've learned a lot from him too. He's a great Master; he expects a lot, but he cares about me, I think. I mean, he wants me to do well." Ahsoka wasn't sure if Anakin cared about her or not. She wasn't sure how the non-attachment part of the Code fit into the Master-Padawan relationship. But then, Master Skywalker didn't care about that either.

"And what about living on a ship full of troopers? I'm guessing it's a lot different from the Temple," Barriss remarked in as nonchalant a way as possible.

"Oh, yeah, the cruisers are always busy, day and night cycle. In fact, it almost seems strange when I walk through the halls here that they are just so empty. They seem so wide, and every sound echoes. On the cruiser, you sometimes find yourself shouting to the person next to you just to be heard. In fact, . . . " Ahsoka started laughing and broke off.

"What?" Barriss prompted.

Ahsoka was laughing too hard to speak. She held up a hand for Barriss to wait a second. When she could breathe again, she tried again. "There was this one time. I was walking with Rex, Captain Rex, you know, Master's second-in-command. And he was trying to tell me some important details about the next campaign. And we were doing ok until we hit this one corridor." She burst into giggles again.

Barriss rolled her eyes. So far, not a funny story.

Ahsoka snorted and reined herself in. "Ok, so we're walking down this corridor, and all manner of Clones and command people and even some maintenance people were working in there. And Rex got so irritated that I couldn't hear him speaking in a normal tone. He got this little Rex-frown, and I could tell he was UP-set. He yelled at the top of his lung, 'A-ttention!' and all of the clones snapped right to attention. And anyone who wasn't a trooper stopped whatever they were doing to look at what was happening.

No one moved a muscle as we walked down the corridor. Rex kept glowering at everyone we passed. Most of them tried to avoid eye contact with him. I was trying so hard not to laugh at Rex. He was being all 'Captain-y'. We walked to the end of the corridor. When we got there, he snapped 'As you were' to the rest of the guys. They started moving again, but no one ventured a sound." Ahsoka stopped to catch her breath.

"And?" Barriss was still waiting for the funny part.

"Well, I guess you have to know Rex. He's always so in-control. But he yelled at a bunch of people in a hallway! People who were doing their duty just like he was," Ahsoka tried to explain. You had to be there and know him like I do, she thought.

"Yes, I guess I can see how that's amusing," Barriss tried to smooth Ahsoka's ruffled feathers.

IOIOIOIOIOIOIOI

Master Yoda came to watch Ahsoka during one of her therapy sessions. Afterward, he slowly walked up to her, tapping the ground with his cane.

"Looking much better you are, Padawan. Your recovery, swift it has been, mmm?" he asked.

"Yes, Master. Barriss is very pleased with my progress. And so am I. I know a Jedi is patient, but the war doesn't want to wait." Ahsoka risked letting Master Yoda know that she was eager to do her duty even if it did make her look a little impatient.

"Mmm, your place with your Master, it is. Your path, the Force is showing you," he intoned.

"I am looking forward to returning to my ship and troopers. They need me," she finished. And I need them, she added silently.

Yoda's ears twitched slightly. "Yes. Return you will. A valuable leader you are. Take care, Padawan Tano, of yourself and your Master." Yoda touched her every so slightly on her legs, knowing they were far from fully recovered.

"Thank you, Master," Ahsoka replied with a bow to the wizened Jedi. She was pleased that he took a moment to see her before she left the Temple-the Temple that was no longer her home so much as the Resolute was.

Ahsoka gathered up her water bottle and practice saber. As she turned to leave the room, her legs turned to jelly and she collapsed in a very un-graceful heap. "Ow!" she ground out. Her legs would sometimes do this to her. Give out. Especially after exerting herself like she had been. Of course she pushed herself. She was a Jedi Padawan. She had a responsibility to heal as fast as possible and return to the field of battle. But perhaps she should rest just a little now.

Ahsoka picked herself up and slowly shuffled to the door. Luckily, she wasn't too far from her quarters. A few mostly-deserted hallways and a couple lifts. She made it to her door without another fall. Throwing her stuff in a corner, she collapsed on the bed.

And woke up in the dark. I guess I was more tired than I realized, she thought. She heard a faint sound then-what had woken her. She sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. What was that? She heard it again. Then she heard someone say her name.

Oh, someone was knocking on her door! Visitors! Maybe it was Barriss. Ahsoka was leaving the day after tomorrow, so she thought maybe Barriss had come to spend some girl time beforehand. Ahsoka hopped up off the bed, corrected her balance for a second, and walked to the door.

It slid open, and Ahsoka almost hit the floor again in astonishment. Before her stood Rex.

Chapter 4

Rex looked so out of place standing in the middle of the Jedi temple, his helmet under his arm. His armor, even with the battle scarring, stood out as oh-so-white and sharp-angled in the world of soft Jedi robes and neutral colors.

"Commander," Rex said in his best 'Captain' voice. "It's good to see you standing up on your own."

Ahsoka remembered the last time she had seen Rex before being transferred onto a shuttle for Coruscant. She had done better that day keeping her desperation about her 'condition' in check in front of her Captain. And he had seemed more sure of himself than the day before too.

They had chatted about the men, Rex giving her the well wishes of several other individuals. And he had tried to get her to smile. She had done it for him, but she hadn't really felt like smiling. Now, she couldn't stop the big smile that spread across her face.

"Rex!" she said, taking care to keep her voice within Temple levels. "What are you doing here?"

"I was sent to escort you back to the Resolute, sir. If you're ready to come back, that is," he teased her.

Ahsoka rewarded him with a swat to the chest plate. "I can't wait! It's been restful being back at the Temple, but I hate being out of the loop about what you guys are doing. The official reporting on the HoloNews is so distorted. You'd hardly know there is a war going on here in the Core." Ahsoka was more than a little bothered that even outside the Temple, things seemed normal on Coruscant.

When Rex shifted a little nervously, Ahsoka realized she had left him standing in the hallway. "Hey, come in and sit down," she invited, only then realizing that the only place to sit was her bed. Since she had left the Temple to become a Padawan, she didn't have permanent quarters there. This was a really small bedroom that didn't even have a desk. She hadn't worried about it with Barriss. They had just curled up on her bed for the girl-talk. But Rex's hulking figure was a far cry from Barriss slim frame and feminine scent.

As soon as he entered, Ahsoka could smell the battlefield, the cruiser, and all that was Rex mixing together. She closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, there he sat, gingerly, at the foot of her bed. She walked over and sat near the head to give him space. He watched her walking.

"You seem a little wobbly still," he remarked, gesturing at her legs.

"Yeah, I'm obviously a lot better than the last time you saw me," she said and they shared a small smile. "But I'm not where I was before . . . " she trailed off. She had made amazing progress, but the Jedi in her wanted to be, well, a Jedi.

"You'll be back in no time," he assured her, regretting the off-the-cuff remark that had darkened her mood. "Um, I was wondering if you had plans for dinner?"

Ahsoka shook her head. Wow, was it really that late? She looked at the chrono next to her bed. It was.

"I thought maybe a Captain could spring you from the Temple for the evening, get you some fresh air," he suggested.

"Sounds great! Let's go," she bounced off the bed, looking and acting a lot more like herself.

As they walked to Dex's restaurant, Ahsoka broached a subject she had been brooding on since returning to the Temple. She hadn't heard a word from her Master in weeks. Not since the first time she woke up in the medbay. "Did Master Skywalker give you any message for me?" she asked hopefully.

Rex walked in silence for a few seconds. "No," he said quietly. "I'm sorry," he offered. Rex knew that his General was desperately worried about his Padawan, since he mentioned her about once an hour, but he was also steadfast in his refusal to contact her. Rex suspected that the General thought Ahsoka blamed him for her injuries. It was his mission, his orders, his plan that landed her on the bomb. Rex knew that it could have been any one of them, but because it was Ahsoka, the General took it even harder than usual.

"I'm sure he'll be glad to have you back at his side. He speaks of you often, Commander." Rex threw her a bone.

"Thanks, Captain," she replied quietly, now a little subdued.

But Dex's cheered her up. They spent the next few hours eating, talking, laughing, telling stories, and answering questions that held better answers for her. Ahsoka felt like she had never been away. She felt like a part of the team again. She couldn't wait to get back to Resolute, something Barriss couldn't understand.

IOIOIOIOIOIOIOI

"Why would you want to go back where you were hurt so badly?" she asked Ahsoka with a concerned look. "War isn't a fun place, Ahsoka."

"No, that's not what I meant, Barriss. I miss my friends. I miss my Master. I miss being a part of something that's important. I'm helping the GAR defend the Republic. What could be better than that?" Ahsoka was very enthusiastic about her role in the Clone Wars.

Barriss looked down at her hands clasped in her lap. "I like healing people more than hurting them," she said quietly. Ahsoka was brought up short.

"Barriss, I don't like hurting people. I like being of use in stopping the Seppies. And 99% of those are droids. Not people. I would never like hurting people either," she replied.

"But sometimes you do hurt people," Barriss reminded her. "People and creatures from other planets who might or might not have anything to do with the Separatists."

Now it was Ahsoka's turn to look down at her hands. Barriss was right. She knew she was. It was just easier to get caught up in the comraderie and spirit of defending the galaxy, even civilization itself, and forget about the lives lost. But she was a Jedi. Life was sacred to her. She should be more mindful of that fact.

"You're right, Barriss. And as soon as the war is over, I'm going to be so glad to not being running campaigns and sending men into battles. But for now, it's my duty to help." Ahsoka paused and then said, "Thank you for reminding me of something that I should have known and kept in mind." She leaned forward and touched her forehead to her friend's in a show of deep friendship and respect.

"You're welcome," Barriss whispered. She worried about her friend, wrapped up in soldiers and tanks, blasters and cannon. She was so young to be swept up in this conflict so completely.

Chapter 5

All packed up, Ahsoka slung her pack over her back, checked to make sure her lightsabers were secure, and walked through the door to her temporary quarters. She didn't look back. She didn't really want to remember why she was back at the Temple in the first place.

Boarding the shuttle, she dumped her pack and started looking for Rex. When she spotted him, she snuck up behind him. Then she slipped next to him and said in her best Commander voice, "Commander Tano, reporting for duty, Captain."

Rex didn't even flinch. After countless battles, there wasn't much that would startle him anymore. He cast a small smile down at the Togruta, noticing that she was much taller than when he had first walked her around the battle zone on Christophsis. "Copy that, Commander. Welcome back." He crossed his arms across his chest and nodded to the pilot. The shuttle flew soundlessly out of the hangar and into the traffic lanes.

Once they were in hyperspace, Ahsoka let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She was finally going home. After a light meal, she decided to work out some nervous energy with some saber work. It was part of her therapy anyway.

She found the largest space she could in the cargo hold. Sitting down to center herself first, she cleared her mind of all strife and emotion. When she reached out to the Force, she felt its power infuse her with healing warmth. She smiled.

The smile only widened when she became aware that she wasn't alone. She hadn't really expected to be, but then she thought Rex was in the cockpit with the pilot still. Apparently, he had finished his duties there and was down here checking on the supplies they were ferrying back to Resolute with them.

Ahsoka leaned back and leapt up in an arc, flipping over in a cartwheel into her first kata position, lightsabers ready. She proceeded slowly, warming up. Her lightsaber arcs were wide and sweeping, her footwork intricate, her acrobatics graceful. She was a vision of Jedi.

Rex sat down on a nearby crate to appreciate her recovery. At least, that's what he told himself. He was so relieved when he heard that the Healers at the Temple had healed all of her injuries. He couldn't imagine her life if she couldn't move like she was now. So much of what defined Ahsoka was in her ability to move under her own power. Just like a Clone, he thought.

He sat for a few more minutes deep in thought. When he caught himself admiring more than her fighting stance, like her delicate hands, her pouty lips, her long eyelashes, he knew that it was time to move. He stood up quickly to regain his trooper composure. He raised a gloved hand in farewell. She smiled but didn't stop her movements. He turned and left. When he was in the corridor, he realized his heart was hammering a little hard for all the sitting he had just done. Hmm, he thought.

Meanwhile, Ahsoka's heart was pounding from the effort to keep herself in motion. She was tired, but she didn't want to stop as long as Rex was watching her. As soon as he left, she plopped down for a rest, lying down on the dirty floor. She laid an arm across her eyes and listened to her breathing. She knew that she shouldn't show off. It wasn't becoming of a Jedi. But she knew that the Clones and their attitudes were rubbing off on her too. They admired strength in each other. And she didn't want them to see her as damaged or less than deserving of their respect.

After a while, she picked herself up from the floor and traipsed back to her small quarters for a shower. She would rest up again before attempting any more 'demonstrations' for Rex or for anyone else.

IOIOIOIOIO

Lying down on her bunk in just her towel, Ahsoka let her eyes drift shut. She started thinking about how it felt when Rex watched her. She liked it. She really liked it. He was special to her. And as she knew him longer and she got older, she liked him more. He was her Rex. A startled smile broke out on her face. Well, that was new . . .

Rex lay on his cot with similarly occupied thoughts. He was less surprised at his own reflections though. It had been a while that he had been thinking about Ahsoka at random times. And not just as his Commander. He thought about her elongating lekku and what he had heard about their sensitivity. Sexual sensitivity among others. He thought about how it would feel to have her smooth red skin next to his rougher, olive flesh. He closed his eyes and murmured a contented purr. Half hard already, he palmed himself through his body stocking. Maybe now was the time to make a move. They were virtually alone. When would there be another chance for that kind of time together?

Like the commander that he was, he made a decision to try something new with Ahsoka. He would see if she liked it.

Chapter 6

Rex walked down the darkened corridor toward Ahsoka's assigned quarters. His body hummed with anticipation. He was prepared. On his last leave, he had spent some time in a certain sort of establishment. He didn't want to fumble with Ahsoka. He wanted to know what he wanted and what he wanted to do. Just like in all of his other duties, he wanted to be thoroughly trained.

He knocked briskly on the door and waited.

Ahsoka started up from her bunk. She was still dressed in only her towel, but her battle instinct told her she should answer the door immediately in case there was something important. She pressed the button to slide the door open.

Rex filled the whole doorway. He crossed his arms across his chest when he saw her dressed in the towel. She smelled like soap and still had some drops of water on her arms.

"Something wrong, Rex?" Ahsoka asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not from where I'm standing," he replied with a slow smile. "Looks like everything is right, in fact." He put a hand on her shoulder and gently moved her back from the doorway so that he could enter and close the door behind him. She moved cautiously backward and kept up eye contact, unsure what he was doing, but liking the feel of his hand on her bare shoulder. He didn't have his gloves on. They rarely touched skin on skin.

The hand on her shoulder began a slow petting motion and Rex's eyes slid down to look at his hand on her. The hand moved down to her elbow and then he was steering her again. This time, he gestured with his other hand toward the bunk. "Please sit with me," he said softly. He felt his scalp start to tingle with anticipation.

Ahsoka was surprised by his tone. She thought she had heard every tone of voice that Rex had, but this was definitely a new one. A shiver ran down her spine as she settled on the bed, followed by Rex, sitting much closer to her than he had at the Temple. It was then that Ahsoka noticed that Rex didn't have all of his armor on. Just from the waist down. She took the opportunity to look over his impressive chest. She wondered what it would feel like to put her cheek against it and listen to his heart.

"I thought we could spend some time together, Ahsoka," Rex continued with the soft tone. She couldn't remember him using her name before. She loved the way his mouth seemed to caress the word as he said it. She looked back up into his eyes.

"Yes," she replied meekly. Again, his smell filled her senses. He was so . . . male. Ahsoka felt dizzy with excitement. She wondered what he was doing, sitting so close to her and touching her. Then she kicked herself mentally. He was, how does the phrase go, coming on to her.

His hand slid from her elbow to her hand. His long fingers and big palm enveloped her slim digits. "Is it ok if I touch you?" he asked for her permission. She nodded, wide eyed. Ahsoka couldn't help the sigh that escaped her as her skin caught on fire with his touch. The sound even slid into a bit of a moan, to her embarrassment. She tried to cough to cover it up, looking up for his reaction.

He smiled to reassure her and then moved a little closer, propping himself up with his other arm on the bunk behind her back. "Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are? When you are in the middle of a firefight, you look like a goddess. All determination and valor. It's intoxicating," he told her as he leaned closer. "I've been watching you and thinking about you. I was wondering if you ever thought about me?"

"Beautiful?" Ahsoka echoed, unsure. The truth was that she had thought about him, his eyes, his lips, his hands. They had spent some pretty intense time together. And all that fighting for life, fighting against death, made her appreciate his constant presence. He was her rock, even more than her Master who could easily be off at a moment's notice for one crazy reason or another. Rex was steady. "Yes, I think about you . . ." she began.

Her eyes widened as he leaned in toward her. Was he going to kiss her? Did she want him to? She wasn't sure that her mind was really working properly considering his proximity and her lack of clothing. He kept leaning-he was going to kiss her. She licked her lips nervously and looked at his. Then she closed her eyes.

Rex kissed her lightly once. And then lightly again, his hand letting go of hers and sliding around her neck. Opening her eyes, she reached up, cupped his cheek, and met him more than halfway for the third kiss. She had never imagined this feeling before. Her every midi-chlorian felt like it was on fire. Her Rex was kissing her. He thought she was beautiful! She was filled with feelings she couldn't identify. Her training had never covered such things.

Instinctively, Ahsoka scooted closer to his body and placed her other hand on that firm chest. She traced across the top of his muscles and down his sternum. He was all angles and warmth. Solid. Very different from her own body, softly curvy but spare and maybe a little spindly. She could feel his heart racing a little bit to match her own.

Their lips still joined, Rex opened his a little and touched her softly with his tongue. Surprised, Ahsoka pulled back. She didn't know what to do, and she felt self-conscious. "Sorry, I'm new to this. I don't know what to do," she apologized to him, dropping her hands into her lap and staring down. Ahsoka had not been kissed before-Jedi didn't kiss. She began to wonder how much experience Rex had in these matters. When had he had time or opportunity to learn how to kiss?

His tilted her chin up to look into her eyes. His voice continued to be soft and reassuring. "Don't worry. I'm new to all of this too. But I want to share it with you. Trust me?" he asked. Rex felt a flutter in his stomach, something he was not accustomed to. But he was determined to finish his mission. Ahsoka seemed more than receptive to that plan. Her eyes were still wide, but less with trepidation and more with anticipation.

She nodded her assent, and he wasted no time leaning in to taste her again. She was like nothing he had ever had before. She was special and unique. She was Ahsoka; his little Jedi. He started with the light kisses again, but this time, when he parted his lips, she followed suit. He slowly introduced his tongue to her lips again. This time, her body melted toward him instead of pulling away. He wrapped his whole arm around her and marveled at how small she was. His arm could almost go around her twice.

Taking his time, he thoroughly explored her lips, those plump lips that were always so sassy. He would tame them tonight. Then he moved beyond her lips, into her mouth. He hummed his approval at the feel of her tongue on his. Eventually, he had to come up for air. He kept his eyes closed and savored the flavor on his tongue.

When he opened them, she sat looking at him thoughtfully. Rex reached up and stroked a hand gently down her lekku. Ahsoka closed her eyes in surrender. "Are you okay?" he asked her. Her eyes opened again, slowly. They both breathed heavily, eyes locked together.

"I think so. You?" she let a ghost of a smirk touch her mouth.

"Better than okay. I feel complete, here with you," he confessed. What the hell, he figured. He might as well come clean about his feelings so that she didn't think that he was only interested in her physically. "More complete than any Clone has a right to feel considering. You are very special to me. I thought I would die while you were gone for all those weeks-like part of me was missing. I had trouble concentrating, even on the field. I just couldn't get the image of you in that bed out of my mind. I wanted to kill every single clanker by hand until I knew I had gotten the ones that had planted that bomb." Rex clenched his fists and scowled at the memory of Ahsoka bruised, broken, and paralyzed.

Ahsoka ran her hands down his arms and eased his fists open. "It's okay, Rex, I'm here now. I'm getting better, stronger, every day. And you are very special to me too. Even though I'm not supposed to form attachments. . . I couldn't help myself with you," she said.

He looked up at her and smiled while she slid the palms of her hands across the palms of his now-open ones. "You are the only person who is special to me," she continued. She hoped that he knew what she meant. She leaned in an gave him a quick peck and then sighed. "The Jedi way is to love life generally and unconditionally, but the war has changed so many things. My Master has said as much. And I can feel myself growing in the Force with my feelings for you. It doesn't feel wrong. It doesn't feel Dark. I won't dismiss it or try to belittle it." She looked searchingly at his face. She wanted him to understand that she wasn't ashamed of her attachment to him even though it was something forbidden.

"Why is attachment forbidden?" Rex asked. He had always wondered why the Jedi had been encouraged not to create connections between each other and others even though he had witnessed great loyalty and commitment between the Jedi he had served with.

"Attachment to people and to things can lead to possessiveness, jealousy, anger, fear, hatred, and the Dark side of the Force," she recited. "The Dark side is Evil itself. Greed, deception, destruction, a detriment to life. The Force can give us so much, but the lure of power can lead us astray." Ahsoka informed him. She looked around furtively, and grinned at him now. "But I've read some of the history of the Order, and Jedi used to marry and have families! Can you imagine Master Skywalker with kids?" she squealed. Rex chuckled along with her.

Suddenly, Rex realized that Ahsoka might be a little uncomfortable sitting with him like this in just her bath towel. "Um, would you like to put some clothes on? I could step outside while you change," he suggested to her. She giggled again and looked down at herself.

"I guess I could at least put on something that won't fall off of me if I breathe too shallowly," she replied. "But, you don't have to leave. Why don't you just close your eyes?" She looked up at him through her eyelashes.

"O-k," he hesitated. But he figured he could control himself. So he stretched out on his side on her bunk and closed his eyes tightly. Ahsoka waved her hand in front of his face. He smiled and reached out to grab her wrist. "I can still smell you. And hear you," he informed her, kissing her fingers.

She giggled again. "Ok, ok, I'm getting dressed." Ahsoka found her sleeping clothes and slipped into them quickly. She heard a clunk behind her. She spun around to find that Rex was removing his armor, piece by piece, his eyes still closed. She watched silently as the contours of his body were opened up to her. The battle armor made all the clones look mostly the same in shape, but her time with her troopers had shown her that there were variations.

"I want to be comfortable too," he explained. She was fascinated by how he was doing everything by touch. She longed to reach out and touch him in those newly exposed places. She longed to memorize what made his body unique and so very Rex.

When just his body stocking remained, he opened his eyes to look up at her. She had a soft tank top and cropped, loose pants on. She looked so sweet-so unlike his avenging goddess on the battlefield. He blinked a couple times to take it in. She looked young and vulnerable. Maybe he was rushing things. For the first time, he looked down from her eyes with indecision.

But Ahsoka made the decision for him this time. She felt those shivers spread from her spine to her stomach as she sat down at his waist level, and leaned sideways across him with one elbow. Tucking her legs up under her, she let her other hand run over his arm, carved from hours of training and exercise, not to mention battles. She was beginning to really like this intimacy. Given access to the Captain made her feel like she was the 'Chosen One.' She smiled at him warmly, and his doubt melted away.

He reached up a hand to stroke her shoulder again, but then he moved it up to her neck. Before he could tug on her to join him on the bunk, she herself slid forward, stretching her legs out next to his. She moved up until her face was level with his. Then she initiated a slow, passionate kiss.

Rex's arm tightened around her waist again, dragging her fully against him. He knew she would feel his erection, but he wanted her to know that he was aroused by her. He didn't just see her as a 'kid' anymore. She was much, much more than that to him. He kissed Ahsoka as the woman she had become before his eyes. The only woman he had ever wanted. She squirmed her hips against him, causing a spike of heat to flare through his body.

When she broke the kiss to breathe, Rex moved for her lekku with his mouth. He wanted to taste the skin. Would it taste differently than the rest of her? He kissed and mouthed his way from the tip to the top of her head. Then he stopped to look in her eyes. They were wide open, and she was panting. I guess she liked that, he thought to himself.

They were in the middle of another heated kiss when the alarms went off. Rex snapped to attention and jumped overtop of Ahsoka to activate his comm. "What's happening?" he demanded of the pilot.

"We've come out of hyperspace early, sir. I don't know why yet," the pilot reported.

Rex looked back at Ahsoka on the bunk, her eyes wide with surprise. "Stay here. I'll comm you if you are needed." Rex scooped up his armor and exited the room with purpose. He was on duty.

Ahsoka face-planted onto the bunk in frustration and elation-both fighting for dominance in her psyche. Kriffing Separatists, she cursed.

Chapter 7

Rex arrived in the cockpit to find the pilot still puzzled about what could have stopped their flight. And still trying to contain his raging hard-on behind his groin armor.

"I've checked all of our systems, and it wasn't an internal error. I think by these readings that something pulled us out of hyperspace," he reported to Rex.

"Is that even possible?" Rex asked.

"I wouldn't have thought so, sir."

The sudden flash of incoming laser fire shut out all other concerns. "Get us out of here!" Rex ordered, strapping into the co-pilot's seat. "Commander," he barked into the comm. "We're under attack. Secure yourself in your quarters."

Ahsoka jumped up and exchanged her sleeping clothes for something more adapted to combat. She attached her lightsabers to her belt and then remembered that Rex had told her to stay in her quarters. Hey, she thought, who's in charge here? And she ran out of her room toward the cockpit.

When she arrived, it was in time to see that they were maneuvering around a small group of enemy fighters. The vulture droids were all over them. "Watch out!" she called and pointed to one at two o'clock.

"We're outgunned, Commander," the pilot informed her as he tried to avoid more blasts to the hull of the shuttle. "And we can't enter hyperspace anymore. They've somehow disabled our hyperdrives. It must be how they brought us out of it in the first place."

"You should strap in, Commander," Rex reminded her. Ahsoka complied by sitting down and fastening the seatbelt in the navigator's chair. She turned to the console and punched up their location. They were about three-quarters of the way to their rendezvous point with the Resolute. She had never heard of any Seppies in this sector. This must be a new movement of their troops.

"Rex, what are our options?" she asked him.

"We've already sent out a distress call, but we can't repel this many fighters for long. We'll have to put down on a planet and hope to slip by the clankers on the surface." Rex's expression said he didn't like the idea of running even if it was to preserve his commanding officer's life.

"All right. Find a good spot, and let's make for it," Ahsoka ordered.

Another laser blast compromised the hull and set the cargo bay on fire. Fire suppression and deflector shields took care of the problem, but the shuttle seemed to be limping through space after the hit. They were more likely to crash onto a planet than to land on one now.

The atmosphere loomed up toward them, singing the hull again. Soon they could see vast forests dotted with crystal clear lakes. Not an ideal setting for landing; but if they managed to land, they'd at least have cover. The pilot fought the controls to bring them in at a reasonable pace. He's no Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka thought, but he's doing well despite that handicap.

They skimmed to top of the trees and did manage to find a clearing big enough to land the shuttle. The pilot set them down with a heavy thunk, and all three of them let out a breath of relief to still be in one piece and on solid land. Then they were all in motion, gathering emergency supplies and heading down the boarding ramp into the forest. Both Clones were fully armed and armored. Ahsoka carried food and medical supply staples in her backpack.

"Let's move to the west," Ahsoka ordered. She had noticed during their descent that the trees were thickest in that direction toward foothills and large mountains. The smoking carcass of their shuttle would be easy to find. They had to get as far away from it as they could and find the best cover if the Seppies followed them. She struck out into the trees first, the pilot bringing up the rear.

"Any idea where we are, Commander?" Rex asked after a few minutes of silent running.

"None, Captain," she replied. "I only had time to determine our distance from Resolute and check on the distress signal to make sure it wasn't being jammed. But, don't worry, Rex, I'm sure my Master will come for us soon." Despite her words, she didn't sound all that sure. "Let's just keep moving," she ordered.

They trooped through the forest for several hours, looping and doubling back to mask their trail. They only stopped when they couldn't see the line of smoke from the shuttle anymore and dusk had settled in. They made a small camp and ate some rations. Ahsoka snuck a quick look at Rex now that he had removed his helmet. He was frowning at his food; that meant he had something to say.

"Captain?" she prompted.

"It doesn't make sense, Commander. Why would they try to intercept a small shuttle? We aren't exactly a prime military target," Rex looked at her with his steely eyes.

"I don't know. But they did. Maybe it was an accident. They might have just been trying out some new weapon, and we happened to be caught in it. Lucky us," she finished.

"Yes, maybe," he repeated, not sounding convinced at all. He continued to look at her with his battlefield eyes. But then he blinked and shifted.

"We should get some rest, Commander," he advised.

"I agree. I'll take first watch, Captain. You can relieve me in three hours," she ordered. The clones bundled up for some needed rest. Ahsoka was feeling the strain on her still-healing body. Maybe if she hadn't been showing off for Rex earlier in the day, she'd be in better shape. But she thought she could make it for another couple of hours. She could meditate and still be hyperaware in case the droids showed up.

Unfortunately, her healing body had other ideas. Ahsoka fell asleep just after her troopers did.

Chapter 8

And she awoke instantly when she heard a low growl. Igniting her lightsabers, she lept to meet whatever had invaded the camp. She saw Rex already upright and with his blasters trained toward a patch of trees to the south of their camp. Ahsoka looked around for the pilot. He was missing. Ahsoka moved cautiously over to stand back-to-back with Rex.

"Did you see anything?" she asked in a whisper.

"No," he replied.

"Hear anything?"

"Just a growl."

Ahsoka peered into the darkness. She couldn't see very far with the undergrowth all around them. But Rex's solid form behind her was very reassuring. They heard another growl from the opposite direction, in front of Ahsoka instead of in front of Rex. She raised her saber ready to defend. And for the next hour, nothing stirred.

"I think it's gone, whatever it was," Ahsoka whispered to the Captain.

"Yes, I agree," he replied. He holstered one of his blasters and turned around to her. "I should have taken the first watch, Commander. You're still healing."

Ahsoka deactivated her lightsabers and stifled a yawn. "Maybe. I thought I'd be ok though. I'm sorry I'm in less than top shape. And now someone has paid for it with his life." She looked up at him, unable to see his expression through his helmet. But his empty hand reached out for hers, so she took it.

"It's ok. I was watching too. And I didn't see or hear anything until it was too late either." Rex said. He lead her back to her sleeping spot. He sat down directly next to her with his back to a tree and removed his helmet.

"Covering for me, were you, Captain?" she asked.

"It's my duty to have your back, Commander," he said authoritatively. More softly, he asked, "Are you okay? Anything hurt?" He didn't want her to re-injure herself or set back her recovery.

She smiled at him, and said, "No, I'll be fine. I guess I was more tired from showing off for you earlier than I thought. Not very Jedi, was I?"

Rex chuckled, "But I liked it anyway." He motioned with his hand for her to come cuddle up with him. She crawled up between his knees and laid down across his abdomen and chest. He lightly put a protective arm around her shoulders and secured her sleeping gear around her as she snuggled up to him. She hadn't felt this safe since she had been deployed to Christophsis to become a Padawan. Rex kissed her lightly on the forehead and said, "Sleep, 'Soka."

She obeyed her Captain.

IOIOIOIOIOIOIO

Several hours later, Ahsoka awoke to find herself on the ground again. She sat up abruptly and looked around for Rex. He was at the far side of the camp examining some tracks that they hadn't seen in the dark.

"Animal, Clone, or droid?" she asked him. He grunted in her direction as she walked to him.

"Definitely not droid, but I don't know what to make of them, Commander." Rex reported.

"Oh, so Commander it is in the morning, huh?" Ahsoka couldn't resist teasing him and poked him in the side with her elbow.

Rex gave her a slightly puzzled look and answered, "Yes, sir. I thought it best to maintain our usual behavior when we're on duty, sir." Ahsoka's smile faltered a bit.

"You're right. You call me Commander, and I'll keep up the witty repartee with my Master-to which you are free to scowl and roll your eyes," Ahsoka felt refreshed after her sleep on Rex. "But you didn't wake me to take my shift," she suddenly remembered.

"No. You needed sleep more than I did. I'll be fine," he replied. "We should get moving before the clankers catch up to us though. We need some shelter. No word from any Republic forces on the comm yet. They must have been busy elsewhere. We might be here for a while." Rex did not like the prospect of being away from the battle where he was needed.

Ahsoka began packing up, adding the lost pilot's items to hers and Rex's packs. She thought briefly about the clone pilot whose name she never even learned. Was Barriss right? Was she way too cavalier about the loss of life? She hadn't even thought about what had happened to him after she snuggled up with Rex. Ahsoka decided that she should meditate about it when she got the chance. She shouldn't take the loss of life so lightly.

They set out in a direction chosen by Rex-away from the mysterious tracks. He still believed their best bet for survival against the Separatists was to put distance between themselves and the downed shuttle. Ahsoka trailed a little behind him, feeling the tightness of recovering muscles that weren't properly rested. I just need to warm them up, she told herself. But by mid-day, she was starting to lag behind.

The stopped to eat, and Ahsoka tried to avoid making eye contact with Rex. She didn't want him to know how tired she was getting.

"Commander?" he began.

"Yes, Captain," she answered, her voice thick from the hours of disuse.

"I'm feeling a little, ah, run down from lack of sleep. I thought maybe we could search up on that slope for a safe place to bunk down for a few hours. A cave or something. It looks like we might be in for some weather as well, judging from those clouds." Rex knew that Ahsoka was tired, but he also knew that she wouldn't ask him to stop for her.

Ahsoka hadn't even been looking up at the clouds. She had been looking down at her trudging feet wondering how much longer she'd be able to keep up the pace. When Rex suggested they stop, she let out a sigh of relief. She knew he was doing it for her, but she didn't care. She'd take it.

Rex took the point, and Ahsoka sat down to rest for a moment before climbing. A moment turned into a few minutes and then into an hour before Rex slid back down to her. "I've found a good spot. We could hole up there until we're rescued. It's hidden and hard to access. For droids at least," he said as he walked to her side.

"Sorry I pooped out, Rex. Not very commandery of me. Thanks for scouting," she said as she stood and stretched. Rex pointed up to the approximate location of the hideout.

Ahsoka nodded and started upward, Rex following close behind. Between the trees and the rocky terrain on the hill, Ahsoka stumbled frequently. After a particularly ungraceful trip, Rex swept her up into his arms. "Rex!" she squeaked. Behind his helmet, he held a small smile.

"Don't worry, Commander, I've got you," he confirmed. "Just relax." Rex grunted just a little as he started walking upward again.

They walked in silence, immersed in the sounds of the forest and their own breathing. Ahsoka's body heat started to rise and not just from the climbing she had done. She felt a little silly being carried like a youngling, but at the same time, it was exciting to be so close to Rex. She hoped that the 'safe' place would afford them a chance to pick up where they had left off on the shuttle.

The slope began to steepen. Rex's breathing came harder and his step more slowly and cautiously. Suddenly, he lurched as his footing slipped on some loose rocks. To prevent her from ending up underneath his body, he tossed her away from him. She landed with a thud on her backside. Rex fell face down and slid several meters until he collided with a small clump of trees. Ahsoka was up and running to him immediately.

Chapter 9

"Rex! Rex! Are you ok? Captain, report!" She tried a command to get him to respond to her. Rex's helmet had loosened during his fall. She carefully removed it the rest of the way. Her Clone Captain's eyelids fluttered as he tried to regain consciousness. Oh no, Ahsoka thought. She felt his pulse and found it to be strong and steady. Good, he might just have a mild concussion.

Off in the distance, Ahsoka heard a low growl that brought her up sharply. The creature from last night was prowling again. The needed to get to the shelter. She shook Rex lightly to try to rouse him. When he didn't respond, she sank into the Force to look at his signature. She touched him lightly again, with her mind. He responded immediately, and Ahsoka opened her eyes.

"'Soka," he whispered.

"Shhh, Rex, you fell and hit your head. Take a minute, but then we need to get moving. I heard another of the animals from last night. We need to get to the shelter before it finds us," she said looking around at their surroundings. "Are we even close?" she asked.

Rex coughed. "Yes, almost there. But last part hardest," he choked out.

"Can you stand?" she asked him, trying to sit him up from his awkward landing position. She wasn't big enough or strong enough to sustain lifting or moving him over any distance, even with the aid of the Force. Ahsoka began to feel a little fear for herself and her trooper. The odds of them being rescued were getting slimmer with each passing hour of their exile. And their chances of survival were dwindling somewhat as well.

After a few minutes, Rex was pushing himself to his feet. "Let's get moving, Commander." He placed his helmet back onto his head and shook it a couple times. "This way," he pointed.

The two of them limped and staggered as best they could, supporting each other. Every few steps, Rex looked around to make sure they were on track to the resting spot. He grunted and pointed to the dark opening of a cave. Ahsoka could just see it behind a curtain of greenery. It was also behind a deep chasm. That must have been what Rex meant when he said it would be hard for the droids to get to. Clankers weren't known for their ability to jump or climb.

As raindrops started to fall, they walked toward the edge of the shadowy pit. Ahsoka dug in her backpack for her ascension cable launcher. She aimed it and shot. It stuck in the rock at the top of the cavern. Ahsoka pulled on it to test its fastness. It would support her weight. But Rex's? She wasn't sure.

"I'll go across first, then you. I'll use the Force to reinforce the cable for your weight," she told him. Rex nodded and let go of the shoulder he had been slightly leaning on. Ahsoka took hold of the cable, took a deep breath, and swung to the mouth of the cave without incident. She realized as she landed that she had had her eyes closed. She had a lot of emotions to confess to her Master the next time she saw him.

Swinging the cable back to Rex through the harder rain, she quieted her mind and concentrated. He grabbed onto the line, testing it himself, and then jumped. She tensed a little as she felt his Force weight in her mind. His hands slipped on the cable just a little bit before he landed beside her and they both sighed in relief. They could finally relax and lick their wounds. And stay out of the weather.

Rex settled onto the cave floor, annoyed that his vision is so blurry. Annoyed that he fell. Annoyed that he dropped Ahsoka. "I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked her.

"No, you actually did a great job if saving me. Too bad you sacrificed yourself," she chastised him just a little.

"Commanding officers first," was his standard reply. He removed his helmet and put his head into both of his hands. The rain was getting harder by the minute.

Ahsoka watched his pain. She truly was irritated. It would have been better to take the brunt of the fall herself to keep Rex uninjured. Now they were both hurting. "Rex," she began. "We need to preserve our strength so that we can be around to be rescued." Lightning flashed outside, followed by a loud crash of thunder. She startled a little.

"Jedi are more important than Clones. It's my duty to protect you with my life," his voice was almost a growl. She could still see him in the falling darkness of the storm, but his face was shadowed.

"From falling on my butt?!" she retorted. "Am I so fragile that that would have killed me? Geez, high opinion you have of me, Captain." She rolled her big eyes to the ceiling.

"You didn't complain when I picked you up," Rex reminded her. His blurry vision was a little better, he thought. But his head still pounded in time to the rain and thunder.

"Yeah, well, if I had known that you were going to get hurt, I would have complained!" she shot back, turning away from him. What was going on with him? And with her? This storm had descended on them awfully quickly-and she didn't mean the one pouring the rain outside.

Re looked up at her sharply. She stood with her hip jutted out and her arms crossed. Her cheeks were flushed with her frustration. He scowled. "Do you doubt my judgement, Commander?" Rex asked in a menacing tone. What was this all about? He had never had a fight with Ahsoka before. Why was she being like this?

"Doubt you? I'm trusting you with my life. Like you are trusting me. I'm just saying that we need each other to survive." Then her tone slid from Commander to friend. "And you are as important as I am," she said softly.

"I don't think that your Master would agree with that assessment," Rex ventured. She saw his grim expression in the flash of lightning.

"Well, Skyguy might surprise you. Do you think that he sent his second-in-command to shuttle his Padawan back to him on a whim? He chose you because he trusts you, Rex. And I trust you to look out for both of us, got it?" Ahsoka looked down at the accusing finger she was waving at him. Then she slowly bent it back to the palm of her hand making a fist instead and rolled her eyes again. Men could be so stubborn-and so, so stupid-sometimes.

Rex was silent. He wasn't sure his training and regulations covered this kind of situation. Female Jedi, irate, expecting him to think of himself as well as her. This was very different from being crash-landed on a planet with some brother Clones. But then, there was something about her eyes when she was angry that spoke to him in ways he didn't think she intended. No, he thought, keep to the mission. Deliver her to Skywalker in one piece. The rest they could (probably) sort out later.

Ahsoka went about unpacking her supplies and preparing a meal of sorts. She offered Rex his without a word. She wasn't speaking to him just now, but that didn't mean she wouldn't take care of him. He accepted the food without comment. She sat down away from him for the mental space as well as the physical. They both stared out into the storm, gathering themselves for the next argument or next tragedy, whichever happened first.

Ok, she thought, here we are. Stranded who knows where. Injured. Low on supplies. No idea when or if someone would be dispatched to retrieve them. And now they were fighting over who was more important? Real smart, Ahsoka, she scolded herself. Survival first. Petty emotional slights later.

IOIOIOIOIO

Meanwhile, General Skywalker, on the bridge of his flagship, was discussing the plans for the next attack when a Clone walked up to him with a brisk salute.

"Communication from Captain Rex, sir," he informed the Jedi.

"Yes?" Anakin asked.

"They've been attacked and outgunned about 4 parsecs from here. Had to ditch on the nearest planet. Last transmission was sent 12 hours ago," he reported.

"Twelve hours ago? Why didn't we get the message sooner?" Anakin scowled thinking about his Padawan, in trouble again.

"The signal was very weak. It must have taken some time to reach us, sir," said the clone, trying to stay out of the way of the General's temper. "Plus, we were in the middle of the last engagement. It wasn't given priority over communications with the other carriers."

Anakin was about to explode all over the clone when Obi-Wan's holoimage appeared before him. Looking at Anakin, his former Master immediately asked, in his knowing tone, "Anakin, what seems to be the problem of the moment?"

The tone of Obi-Wan's voice brought Anakin up short. He managed to control his tone and language to respond. "Ahsoka and Rex's shuttle was caught in a firefight, and it happened twelve hours ago. I just found out because their distress signal wasn't a priority." Anakin scowled at the communications office who turned away and briskly excused himself.

"Well, given what we've just been through, I would guess that your officers were probably right to wait a bit. We can't put the life of your Padawan above the lives of the people we are trying to help. Be mindful of your attachments, Anakin. No one life is more important than any other, especially to a Jedi. Besides, Ahsoka is capable of taking care of herself, and she has Rex to help. Are they alive?" Obi-Wan asked.

"They had to make an emergency landing somewhere. Now that we're done here, I'm going to take a few troopers with me and go find them." Anakin's decisive delivery of his plan of action brooked no disagreement, even from Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan frowned a little.

"We'll need you back within eight hours, Anakin. Good hunting," he replied. Anakin ended the transmission and stomped off to gather the troopers he would take with him. He hoped that Ahsoka and Rex were faring all right. At least he was right in sending Rex to collect her from Coruscant.

Chapter 10

Later in the afternoon, Ahsoka woke up from a nap she hadn't realized she had slipped into. That's been happening a lot lately, she thought. When she looked over at Rex, she saw that he had given up trying to stay awake too. He was frowning in his sleep. She wondered if that meant his head was still hurting. Her hurt was stemming mostly from her heart. At least the rain has stopped, she thought.

Ahsoka sighed. Well, this is why the Order tells you to avoid attachments, Padawan. You can't let this cloud your judgement or his. Master Skywalker will be here as soon as he can be. You can hold out until then. Food, water, shelter, warmth. Stay alive to fight another day. Stay alive to live another day.

Ahsoka sat up and crossed her legs for some much-needed meditation. She sank into the Force and let all of her anxiety and fatigue drift away. She communed with her personal perception of the Force until she felt renewed and refreshed. Then she settled back into her own corporeal frame and opened her eyes. Rex sat unmoving, looking at her softly. His head was tilted just a bit to the side, questioning. His back was to the wall, and his legs were spread before him in a V.

Ahsoka smiled slowly. Then she placed both hands on the ground, circling her hips up and over her folded knees. Slinking across the rocky firmament, she looked at him through lowered eyelashes and fluttered them, just a little. Her time with the Force had made her . . . loose? fresh? eager for some physical contact? She internally whispered yes to all of those questions.

Rex waited patiently for her to reach him. Once she did, he put his hands on her thighs and guided them across his. Stupid armor, he thought. Now's not the time for you. But we'll get to taking that off, I think. As she sat in his lap, his hands rubbed her slender thighs, creating friction and heat. Ahsoka, in the meantime, slid her hands up to card through Rex's short hair. She liked the feel of it on her hands, not knowing precisely what hair really felt like. Cupping the back of his head in both palms, she pulled him gently forward for a soft brush of her lips on his.

But Rex wasn't content with that. He wrapped her up in his arms, pulled her in, and crashed down on her mouth, claiming her as his. Her little demonstration across the cave had made his blood hot. He wanted more. Now. And as she wriggled in his lap, he knew that she agreed with him. His desire for Ahsoka was fueled not only by her little demonstration but by the certainty in her eyes. The hunger he saw there.

He explored her mouth with his tongue until his lungs begged for more air. But his hands had no such need. The slid along the edge of her top, brushing her shoulder blades and then skimming under her arms. She lifted her arms over her head, imitating the sensual writing of some Twileks she had seen in the Coruscant underworld. It made her feel powerful to take control of her own pleasure. Rex tugged, and the fabric slid dangerously low. He felt the top outlines of her nipples above the fabric with his thumbs. Ahsoka let out a moan.

From the deep contentment of her communion with the Force to this explosive carnal experience with Rex, Ahsoka almost got spiritual whiplash. Each had its glorious aspects, but only one of them was all new to her. She let her hands drift down to his shoulders and started to pull off his armor. She wanted to feel his skin, all of his skin. She tossed pieces of the white impediment behind her, heedless of how or where they fell. Her lips sought his out again as they continued to undress and touch each other.

Divested of his armor to his waist, Rex lifted Ahsoka up off of his lap and laid her gently down on his sleeping mat. Leaning over her, he trailed kisses down her smooth, flat abdomen, as he pulled his gloves off. When he touched her with his bare hands, the sensation shot right to his groin. She was so warm and soft and unlike anything in a Clone's usual purview. She was alive and unique. He continued to shed armor and underarmor until he was covered only minimally from waist to ankles.

Ahsoka watched him undress and kiss her from her vantage point under him. Her hips curled toward him of their own volition, arching to maintain contact. He was magnificent to her. Not even the scars she could see, and the battles in which he got them that she could name herself, marred his perfection in her eyes. He was all the things a lover should be. Attentive, caring, assertive, sexy. When he began tugging on her skirt and leggings, she helped him remove them by shimmying up and out. Now her top was nearly off and the only thing covering her below the waist were her panties. Rex laid down beside her, and they faced each other, claiming and devouring each other again.

His arm snaked around her and squeezed her butt cheek. So firm, even after her time convalescing. He massaged the muscle on one side and then the other. She sighed into his mouth. Rolling onto his back, he brought her with him. She sat up astride him and looked into his eyes. She smiled and reached out to touch his lips with her fingers. He, in turn, kissed the fingers one by one. Where did he learn to be so gentle, she wondered.

She had seen him take down battalions of droids, lead men to their deaths, stagger from exhaustion. But she had only imagined this side of him, imagined and hoped really. Her unexamined emotions bubbled to the surface. He affected her so profoundly. She could pick his voice out of a cacophony of the same voice. She looked for him whenever she doubted her leadership abilities. Ahsoka realized she was attached to him-desperately, lovingly.

She resolved to make this man feel like he was more than a human being born and bred to die. She would ensure that, at least for tonight, he was an individual deserving of pleasure and joy. Her hands dropped from his chin to smooth across his neck and chest, followed by her lips and lekku. She wriggled her pelvis on his, adjusting to the feeling of the hard cock so close to her. Ahsoka was a virgin, but she understood the mechanics of humanoid sex. And she had instincts as well. She sat back up.

Crossing her arms around herself, she grabbed the small fabric band on her chest and lifted it up over her head. It joined the pile of discarded Clone armor somewhere on the floor. Rex reached up to palm her small, perky breasts. The texture of his hands formed by countless hours handling much rougher objects provided substantial stimulation for Ahsoka's sensitive nipples. She writhed again, her head thrown back and jaw slack. Rex teased her with his fingers and pinched the little white nubs ever so gently, then a little harder as she grew accustomed to his touch. She leaned toward his torso, and he reached up to grab her delicious breasts with his lips. This time, she let out a sound halfway between a moan and a scream. He became even more aroused.

After suckling for a few more moments, Rex rolled them back around so that he hovered over her body. He pushed back onto his knees and proceeded to quickly disrobe. When his impressive erection came into full view, Ahsoka gasped and instinctually reached out to cup it in her hands. It was Rex's turn to groan as he struggled to remove the rest of the body glove and keep his cock in her hands at the same time. Once he was naked, he hooked his forefingers in the waist of her panties and pulled toward himself. The thin, white lines on the skin of her thighs were like arrows pointing in the direction of his ecstasy. Underwear one way, consummation the other.

Rex crawled back up her body, careful not to crush her hands still stroking him in fascination. Had she seen a male before, he wondered? Even if she had, he might not have been this . . . excited at the time. He slid to her side to allow her to explore. Propping his head up on his bent arm, he gestured with his eyes for her to be curious as much as she wanted. He would enjoy every second of her scrutiny and caressing. Biting her bottom lip, she looked up at him shyly and then couldn't resist sending her eyes drifting down again.

His skin is so soft, she thought. She didn't know what she had expected, but it wasn't this silkiness that nestled in her palms. And the dark curls that contrasted with his bleached head thrilled her too. She had no such thing on her body. She glanced up at Rex to catch him smirking at her. She smiled back and decided not to inflate his ego more. There would be time for exploration again. She didn't want to look like she was worshipping him. She lay back down next to him so that their chests brushed against each other.

He claimed her mouth again while his hand went exploring on its own. It slipped between her thighs and teased her labia softly. Ahsoka arched her hips and moaned into his mouth. She felt like he was lighting her on fire. Parting the sentries to her clitoris, he stroked down the length with one long finger. Ahsoka started to pant, squeezing her eyes shut tightly. He trailed upward again. Then in a slow circle and up the center once more. She clutched to his shoulders and tensed. With one more pass around the clitoris by his talented fingers, Ahsoka felt herself shatter in orgasm. She whined and bucked and dug her fingernails into his skin. He relished the feelings, watching her every movement and feeling his need growing almost unbearable.

After exquisite moments, Ahsoka's eyes opened again. She lay silently, not quite sure of what to do or to say. He leaned in to kiss her, negating the need for any words at all. She used her body to thank him for the pleasure he had given her. She willingly let him part her legs with his own. When she felt the pressure of his cock against the opening of her vagina, she again looked to his eyes. The look said everything-trust me, I worship you, I want this, I need you. She fell deeply into those looks as he entered her, slowly and steadily.

At first, a sting of pain, but his patience and care overrode the discomfort. Once he was sheathed inside her, he stilled to allow her to relax. She was so tight. He was fairly certain this was her first time, though he hadn't asked outright. But her willingness to trust him and to experience this act with him told him that she wasn't scared or ashamed. She wanted him as he wanted her. He drew back out of her slowly. She was very wet by now, which aided him in his endeavors.

As he set a slow pace, she alternately relaxed and tightened around him. They kissed with abandon now, joining themselves in any way possible. She wrapped her legs around him to pull him as closely as she could. He was strong and hard as well as gentle and soft. Such a mixture of contradictions, she thought. But all of them combined were sensual and satisfying to her.

She continued to marvel at him as he quickened his pace, losing a little control in the face of such stimulation. The Captain melted away, and he was just Rex. Just a man in the throes of sexual passion. He could allow himself a little leeway here and now. Their joining wasn't going to last very long this time, but he was sure that she wouldn't mind in the least. They were alone, for the foreseeable future.

Rex came saying her name against her ear. She clung to him and kissed him lightly on his neck and shoulders. He withdrew and rolled back onto his side beside her. He pulled her into his arms and held tight. Finally, he said the first words they had uttered in hours, "I love you."

She hugged him fiercely and buried her face in the hollow of his neck. In Togruti, she said, "Un'g'ata." In Basic, she repeated, "Beloved . . ." She let out a long breath, and kissed him lightly on the collar bone. She was content. It was a different kind of content from her time in the Force, but it was just as fulfilling.

Twilight was falling outside of their cave. Rex covered them both up in one blanket and pillowed his head on his loose arm. His head still ached, but other aches had finally abated. Ahsoka was his lover. It was more than he had dared to wish for. What tomorrow would bring, he didn't know. But for now, they had each other in all ways.

Chapter 11

Anakin scowled as he piloted toward Ahsoka and Rex's last known location. He found some debris from the Separatist attack, but not enough to constitute a whole CR-90 Corvette shuttle, the kind Rex had taken to Coruscant to fetch Ahsoka. Turning to his Navigator, he asked, "What habitable planets are there nearby?"

"Scanning, sir," the Clone replied. After a moment, he reported, "There are two within range of this location for a ship that is damaged. Dennaskar is the closer of the two, sir."

"Then we'll start there," Anakin replied with determination. He could almost feel Ahsoka nearby. At least he knew she was alive.

Their ship descended onto the planet near the crash site of the shuttle. "There it is," Anakin pointed through the front viewport. "No sign of them though. Scan the area for lifeforms and droids."

"Yes, sir."

When they were on the ground, Anakin led the troopers down the boarding ramp. He stretched out with the Force to see if he felt Ahsoka. There, just a little bit stronger. She wasn't too far away. "Deploy the speeders, Trooper," he ordered.

IOIOIOIOIOIO

Ahsoka woke with a start, again. "Master," she whispered into the echo of the cave. "Rex, wake up. Master Skywalker is here. I can feel him." She shook Rex's shoulder, but he was slow to respond. She worried that it was the head trauma again. Locating her clothing, she dressed quickly and then returned to his side. "Don't worry, Rex, I'll get them up here to help you."

Ahsoka fished the long-range comm unit out of Rex's backpack. She switched to the Jedi frequency and broadcast their distress signal again. It was received and acknowledged almost immediately. Ahsoka breathed a sigh of relief. Master had found them. They were going to be fine. Then she looked over at Rex.

He was pale and sweating, half unconscious. She hurried to him and put a hand on his forehead. He was too warm. She tried to get him to sip some water, but he couldn't be roused enough. He coughed the water back up out of his windpipe. And then, Ahsoka had more pressing concerns.

The growl they had heard twice before sounded again, from much closer this time. Oh, no, she thought. Not now!

She rose with her hands on her lightsabers. She walked slowly and quietly to the mouth of the cave. The foliage was dense, making it easy for a large animal to hide. Ahsoka listened intently. She heard movement above her, up the hill. Small rocks were knocked loose by a footfall. She moved away from the cave, hoping to lure the thing away from Rex who was nearly defenseless in his fevered state.

As she backed away, keeping her eyes trained to any movement, the sounds came again. This time she could tell that there were more than one creature. She crouched down to make herself as small and unnoticeable as possible. Maybe they would just pass her and Rex by. Yeah, we're just that lucky, she thought sarcastically.

She held her breath as the crashing came closer. They were on the move. They were on the move toward her. Suddenly, out of the undergrowth came a cadre of small furry creatures. They pooled around her feet in their hurry to get away from the noisy creatures hunting them. Their squeals filled the air with panic. Ahsoka braced herself for the predators to appear. She didn't have long to wait.

Two large reptilian beasts on two legs pushed aside the branches on trees to make their way toward their quarry. Their teeth were as big as Ahsoka's hand, and they had claws to match. Their yellow eyes whorled in their sockets as they searched the ground for more to eat. When they came up short, they let loose with their growl again. Ahsoka flinched from the volume.

Just as she was about to spring out at them with her lightsabers, blaster shots rang out through the forest. They hit the trees surrounding the creatures. Wheeling around wildly, growling, and stomping their feet, the creatures didn't know what to do. Finally, they turned and ran down the hill but in the opposite direction from Ahsoka, the cave where Rex lay, and the source of the blasters.

"Ahsoka!" Anakin called out.

"Here, Master," she replied.

"I'm glad to see you. Are you hurt at all?" he asked.

"No more than I was, Master. But Rex is feverish. I think he has a concussion. We should get him back to the ship quickly," she reported to the General.

"No problem, Snips. We've got speeders ready at the foot of the hill. Where is he?" Anakin looked around but missed the entrance to the cave in his survey. Ahsoka began walking toward it but stopped when Rex appeared in full armor with his blasters drawn.

"Commander?" he asked, having heard the blaster shots.

"It's ok, Captain, it's General Skywalker and his men. We've been rescued." Ahsoka walked up to Rex and pulled one of his arms around her shoulder to help him walk toward the other troopers. Once there, she relinquished him to them. She returned to the cave to retrieve their backpacks and supplies. With one last look at the spot where they had slept in each others' arms last night, she walked back out to join her Master.

As they walked, he debriefed her about what had happened to interrupt their flight back to Resolute. "The Separatists have some new weapon or tool to drop ships out of hyperdrive, Master. It means that any of our ships could be led into an ambush," she told him. Anakin looked thoughtful for a moment.

"I'll report this to the Council and see what our next move is. Thanks, Snips. You've done well. How are you feeling, by the way?" He suddenly remembered that she had been away convalescing.

"I am well Master. I feel stronger every day. And I'm glad to be going home," she said.

"Well, we'll be glad to have you back too," he said with a grin. He had missed her-more than he thought he would.

IOIOIOIOIO

On the way back to the Resolute, Ahsoka slipped into the medbay for a private chat with Rex. His fever had broken, and he was well on the way to recovery from his fall.

"Well," she started, "this is a switch. Me visiting you in the medbay." She looked around cautiously before leaning down and giving him a peck on the cheek. "I've missed you, Un'g'ata," she whispered.

Rex clasped her hand in his and smiled. "Me too, Commander. And I'm glad you're here. I wanted to ask you a question."

"Yes," she asked expectantly.

"Are we going to keep this-" he gestured to himself and then to her, "between us? Or do you want others to know?"

Ahsoka looked thoughtful. She had assumed they would keep it quiet at least for a while. She knew her Master would not approve of her having a sexual relationship with one of the Clones, not to mention the 'attachment' lecture she'd be in for. But, then again, her Master wasn't one to follow the Code all that strictly either. Maybe she could confide in him or ask his advice.

She squeezed Rex's hand and replied, "Let's keep it between us for now. I don't know what the future holds, Un'g'ata, but we'll face it together."

Rex was one happy Clone trooper to hear the words 'future' and 'together' come out of the mouth of the woman he loved. He nodded his assent.

THE END