Cejanr (A Rexsoka SWTCW Fanfic)

13

Pain. That's the first thing Fives was aware of. A burning pain in the pit of his stomach, like a ball of molten lead. His head pounded too, probably from whatever they jabbed him with on Kamino. He shifted, and let out a small groan of pain as his stomach tightened. There was a scuffling sound, and unfamiliar hands slid under him, lifting him up enough to slide a pillow under his head.

His eyelids were dead weights, but he made an effort to open them. He looked around an unfamiliar room, a communications terminal in one corner, a low table next to him, and a small kitchen all crammed into the small area. Somebody was in the kitchen, and he made the effort to turn his head to see who it was. The gaunt face of a familiar togruta was a sight for sore eyes.

"You're awake." She smiled faintly, grabbing a cup of caf and moving to sit on the table.

"Please, knock me out again." He groaned softly, his voice grating in the back of his throat. Ahsoka rolled her eyes.

"Don't have anything strong enough to do that." She said wryly.

"Where am I? How long have I been here?" He croaked.

"My roommate's and my apartment. About fourteen hours." She filled him in. "She'll be back soon. Please don't freak out?" She sighed, digging at her eyes.

"Me or him?" Came a gravelly voice from another doorway. "Tano, why is there a clone on my couch?"

Fives jerked away and hissed in pain as he saw the speaker. Asajj kriffing Ventress. He looked between the two with wild eyes.

"He was hurt and wouldn't have survived long enough to get to another trusted medic. Please don't gut him." She asked, giving the assassin puppy eyes. Ventress pinched the bridge of her nose.

"At least it's not one of the jedi. He can stay, but I want him gone as soon as possible." She rumbled. "Whatever. I'm going to sleep."

She trudged across the room to another door and disappeared. Ahsoka sighed, turning back to a terrified Fives.

"She's fine. Just grumpy." She promised. Fives opened his mouth, hesitated, then shut it again as he shifted with a small gasp to lay back down.

"Where's Rex?" He asked with a frown. "Why isn't he here?"

Ahsoka's mouth twisted like she had bitten into an underripe johgan. "The captain has other duties." She spat. Fives frowned.

"What happened? I thought he would be excited to see you." He closed his eyes as his head pounded with the strain of talking.

"What happened was he went and got himself killed." She growled. Fives opened his eyes again.

"You're mad at him." He realized aloud. Ahsoka scoffed bitterly.

"Of course I'm kriffing mad. He willingly died without a fight and withour a care for me or anybody else he was leaving. And then he lived, and didn't bother coming back until the other day" She hissed. Fives shifted with a grimace so he could look her in the eyes.

"Commander, get your head out of the sand. Rex worked tirelessly to get back here, even going so far as to get back earlier than he would have if he had stayed with the 501st." He rasped. "You're mad because he didn't fight? I fought them, and look were I am." He sat up slightly with an agonized hiss. "A half dead fugitive on the run from the republic."

Ahsoka pressed her lips together and pushed him back down, pressing the back of her hand against his cheek.

"You're warm." She noted.

"You're mad just to be mad." He grunted. "You asked him to leave, didn't you." He met her eyes. Ahsoka clenched her jaw and looked away.

"Yes." She muttered, standing up to drag a first aid case out from under the sink. She dug through it, looking for something. She apparently didn't find it, because she slammed the top down and shoved it back under. Fives watched her, glaring.