Just in case this seems familiar, it's crossposted on AO3 as well…
I own nothing, usual jazz…
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Cody stood on the bridge, arms folded, sharp gold eyes focused on the dark green planet below, ignoring the murmuring of the men surrounding him. He could hear Admiral Yularen giving instructions, but at the moment they didn't concern him, so the Commander kept an eye on the comms, waiting for the word.
The 212th and 501st had been assigned a mission together to this backwater planet that the Seppies were interested in and were currently engaged in fighting on the surface. Cody frowned, hands gripping onto the opposite forearms tightly, almost painfully.
He should be down there with his General, making sure he stayed out of trouble and that that damn lightsaber stayed in his hand. He should be down there relaying information and coordinating with the 501st, with Rex.
Instead he was relegated to the Negotiator, overseeing operations from there, due to several broken ribs and collarbone he had been gifted in a skirmish with General Grevious not even a week ago. Helix had refused to clear him medically for the mission; the medic even going to Obi-Wan to make sure Cody didn't try fight his orders. Obi-Wan had done so, ordering Cody to stay behind despite Cody's protests.
He remembered Rex's grin from behind Obi-Wan as he was given his orders.
Cody pulled at the neck of his officer greys uncomfortably as he grumbled. He wasn't even allowed to wear his armour, as Helix didn't want the weight and constriction of the ab and chest pieces to interfere with the healing process.
"Commander Cody," Cody turned his head slightly at the call of his name. Admiral Yularen walked up to stand beside him, looking out at the planet below. "Any word?" he asked. Cody shook his head, glancing at the older male beside him.
"None of yet," he sighed. "They're getting close to being overdue." Admiral Yularen gave a nod, sighing heavily.
"Knowing Skywalker, he's come up with another one of his blasted plans," Yularen muttered under his breath. Cody gave a small grin at that. It quickly disappeared when there was a burst of static from the comms.
"Comman…Cody, are you there? Do you read?" Cody let out a sigh of relief at the sound of his General's voice.
"I read you, sir," Cody answered, glancing at Yularen. "What's your position?"
"We've had to evacuate, it was an ambush. We're on our way back…five minutes out,"
"Tell him to get medical ready!" Cody frowned at that, worried. He could hear yelling and concerned voices, though muffled, in the background of his General's comm.
"Sir, what's going on?"
There was a pause.
"Kix needs you to comm Helix, tell him to get surgery prepped," Obi-Wan's voice came through evenly. Cody could detect the worry in his voice, though Obi-Wan tried to mask it. Cody looked to Admiral Yularen, who nodded and quickly relayed the message to medbay.
"Cody," Cody could feel his heart thumping hard in his chest. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. "Cody, I need to prepare you before we arrive." The General's voice was grave. "Rex was badly injured in a blast. H-He's not in a good way, Cody,"
Cody's heart stopped, breath rushing out of him in a strangled noise.
Not Rex…it couldn't be!
Rex was strong, Rex was unbeatable! There was no way it could be him hurt.
"Cody," Again, the General called his name, forgoing the usual Commander title. That made things worse for Cody, knowing how worried his General was, how he was trying to reassure him by being his friend, not just his General. "I need you to breathe, Cody, he's in the capable hands of Kix. We're two minutes out, Cody, make sure they're ready for us." Cody swallowed.
"Of course, General," he answered, voice hoarse. Cody turned to Admiral Yularen, who was looking at him sadly. "I'm going to meet them in the hanger, I need to make sure Helix isn't kept from the wounded." Yularen nodded and Cody quickly turned on his heel, hurrying from the bridge. As soon as the door to the bridge slid shut behind him, he broke into a run, darting through the hallways, not caring if he bumped into anyone.
He could apologize to them later but for now…Rex.
Cody quickly tapped into his comm.
"Helix, are you prepared for the wounded?" he barked. He needed his men to be ready now. He needed them to be on their game.
"Almost at the hanger now, Commander, I've brought all hands that could be spared for medic duty," Helix's calm voice replied. "Any information on why I need the surgery set up?"
Cody swallowed, heart aching, as he hoarsely replied, "It's Rex,"
There was silence.
"Stretcher is standing by and waiting in the hangar, Commander," Cody gave a nod at Helix's reply as he ran into the hangar. He quickly spotted the medic and walked over to stand beside him, both waiting for the larty that held the wounded Captain. Helix looked to Cody.
Though the Commander seemed outwardly calm, Helix could see the signs of worry and stress in his gold eyes, in the stiffness of his shoulders.
He quickly turned back to the men he had waiting to assist him, making sure they had everything ready, no longer wanting to see his Commander's distress.
"Sir!" Cody looked up as the larty landed, the doors quickly opening with bloodied, battered and singed troopers jumping out, waiting brothers with medical supplies quickly converged on them.
"HELIX!" Helix quickly ran to the ship at Kix's shout, Cody following quick behind. A choked noise escaped him at the sight of his cyare lying there still, bloodied and battered, on a stretcher on the floor of the larty with Kix, Jesse and Fives kneeling around him. Helix fell to his knees beside Kix, muttering to the 501st medic as he tried to help stabilize the fallen Captain.
Rex's blacks had been mostly cut from his body, exposing burnt and bloodied skin and multiple deep lacerations leaking dark red blood, which was beginning to pool around him despite the efforts of his medic and men. Rex's usually pristine, short, blond hair was dirty with dirt, ash and blood. His usually playful golden eyes were closed and bruised, his face scratched up.
A hand rested on Cody's shoulder, pulling him away, as the stretcher bearing Rex was lifted from the floor and quickly rushed off. Cody's golden eyes were drawn back to the pool of blood on the floor.
"Where's his armour?" Cody croaked. There was a sigh from behind him, the hand still on his shoulder giving a small squeeze.
It was Obi-Wan's gentle voice that answered him, "It didn't survive the blast. A-A fair portion of his back piece is, well, in his back now." Cody turned to look at his General, whose tunics were singed and covered in blood.
"What happened?" Cody croaked. Obi-Wan's grey eyes met his sadly.
"We were nearing a village when a Shiny tripped a trip-wire," Obi-Wan explained evenly. "Rex heard the click and leapt onto Tup, who was close to the Shiny who tripped it." Obi-Wan tilted his head as he looked at Cody. "Rex saved Tup's life."
"And the Shiny?"
Obi-Wan sighed sadly, shaking his head. "Too close to the blast,"
"OBI-WAN!" Obi-Wan turned at Anakin's shout, his hand moving to clasp Cody's forearm comfortingly. Anakin and Ahsoka ran up to them, having just departed from their own larty. Cody turned his head away bitterly when he saw that neither of them had a scratch or a drop of blood on them.
"I heard what happened, where's Rex?!" Anakin demanded to know.
"Kix and Helix have him, they're rushing him into surgery," Obi-Wan tried to reassure. Anakin ran his hands through his brown hair.
"Why didn't you heal him?!" He exploded. Cody stiffened the same time his General did.
"I did," Obi-Wan growled out, surprising Cody, mostly because he had never heard Obi-Wan growl at Anakin. "There was just too much damage and things I couldn't risk trying to heal," Obi-Wan's eyes strayed back to Cody. "We have to report to Admiral Yularen and get the ship moving to the closest medical station." Cody nodded stiffly and went to head to the bridge when Obi-Wan pulled him to a stop.
"No, Cody, Anakin and I can handle this," Obi-Wan told him gently. "I want you to go check on the status of the wounded." Cody blinked in surprise.
He knew the real reason why Obi-Wan was sending him to the medbay, so he could be close to Rex.
"S-Sir," Cody croaked out but Obi-Wan shook his head.
"No arguments this time, Commander, go on," Obi-Wan gave him a gentle push and a sad smile. Cody nodded and quickly headed off.
Obi-Wan ran his hand through his messy copper locks before he headed towards the bridge. He sighed when he saw Anakin waiting for him.
"Shouldn't Cody be on the bridge?" Anakin asked, causing Obi-Wan to roll his eyes.
"No, he's done enough," Obi-Wan answered bluntly as they walked through the halls. He didn't want to have to explain things to Anakin who clearly couldn't see past himself. Obi-Wan knew about the relationship between Cody and Rex, he had for a while, though Anakin remained blind to it. Surprising, since everyone knew about Anakin and Padme's 'secret' relationship, yet Anakin couldn't see a somewhat hidden relationship in front of him.
An hour later, Obi-Wan ran his hand through his hair tiredly as he stood on the bridge. They were in hyperspace, on their way to a medical station, but it would be a few more hours. Anakin and Ahsoka were going over the battle plans for a hopeful retake of the planet they had just fled. Obi-Wan had already contacted the Council to tell them what had occurred and now was standing on the bridge, watching the stars fly by, and waiting for any news on their injured Captain.
All remained silent though.
Obi-Wan reached out with the Force, trying to find the life-force he knew so well now. He finally found it.
Guiltheartbreakangersadnessguilt
"Admiral, you have the bridge," Obi-Wan spoke up tiredly. "I need to gather up my Commander and actually clean up," Obi-Wan added as he looked at his bloodied and filthy robes, wrinkling his nose. Admiral Yularen nodded.
"Of course," he murmured. Obi-Wan turned to the door before pausing, turning to look at Yularen.
"Did Commander Cody rest while we were on the planet?" Obi-Wan asked, though he was dreading the answer. Yularen frowned, thinking back, before shaking his head.
"I don't believe he did," he answered. "He was always on bridge when I came back on from my rest hours." Obi-Wan sighed and rubbed his forehead.
"Okay, Commander Cody is now on enforced leave for the next 48 hours," Obi-Wan warned them. Anakin frowned as he watched Obi-Wan stalk from the bridge.
"Huh, Obi-Wan sure cares about Cody a lot, doesn't he?" Anakin looked to Ahsoka as she spoke up. "Rex always did say they had a weird friendship." Anakin gave a small nod at that.
They were certainly unstoppable when together and Cody was the only one who didn't put up with Obi-Wan's shit.
Obi-Wan walked to medbay and frowned when he saw Cody sitting on the floor opposite the medbay door, knees pulled up to his chest. Obi-Wan carefully sat down beside him, pulling his legs up as well as not to trip up any passing clone.
"Any news?" Obi-Wan asked softly. Cody shook his head.
"They told me to stay out of medbay," Cody mumbled. "It's too busy in there at the moment." Obi-Wan nodded, leaning his head back to rest it tiredly against the wall behind him.
"Obi-Wan," Obi-Wan looked up at the soft whisper of his name. "I-I can't lose him, Obi-Wan, I can't!" Obi-Wan put his arm around his friend's shoulders, pulling him close.
"Kix and Helix won't let that happen, Cody," Obi-Wan whispered to him reassuringly. "You know that they'll fight to keep Rex with us."
Cody nodded before looking at his General. "Sir, why were you with him and not Skywalker?" he asked.
"Anakin and Ahsoka went to do some stealth work," Obi-Wan explained. "Rex and the rest of Torrent were going to check out a nearby village, I decided to go with them and I'm glad I did," Obi-Wan's voice shook slightly. "I value yours and Rex's friendship, Cody, I don't know what I'd do if I lost either one of you," Obi-Wan swallowed, "and I never want to be the one to tell the other that their riduur didn't make it." Cody gave a small sob at that, burying his face into Obi-Wan's shoulder as it sunk in just how close Cody was to losing Rex, if Obi-Wan was scared. Obi-Wan kept murmuring reassuringly to him, hand gently stroking comfortingly at the back of Cody's neck, as they sat there together.
Finally, the door to the medbay slid open and a very tired Kix stepped out. Cody quickly shot to his feet, Obi-Wan following him.
"K-Kix?" Cody's voice trembled as he spoke the medic's name. Kix gave a small sigh, looking at them both sadly.
"At the moment, he's stable," Kix explained. "He pulled through surgery and we've got him in a bacta tank to help the rest, but there's still a chance that he might not make it, sirs," finished Kix sadly and quietly. He didn't want to lose his Captain but as a medic he had to face reality.
"Can we see him?" Obi-Wan asked, hand on Cody's back reassuringly. Kix nodded and led them through the medbay to a room off to the side where the bacta tanks were. Cody found Rex straight away and quickly walked over to stand in front of his tank. He placed his hand on the cool glass as his gold eyes took in his riduur sadly.
Rex's body was covered in stitches and lacerations, with deep burns on his legs. A mask covered his still bruised and puffy face.
"His face wounds are mostly superficial," Kix spoke up, "It's mostly from when he's banged his face against his helmet when he tackled Tup,"
"And his back and the burns?" Cody spoke up, voice strangled.
He heard Kix shuffle slightly. "We got the pieces of armour out from his back after the force of the explosion caused it to splinter, we managed to stop the bleeding from where it pierced organs," murmured Kix. "Burns are just from where the flames managed to get in before we managed to drag him and Tup out,"
"How is Tup?" Obi-Wan asked suddenly as Cody turned his attention back to the floating Rex.
"A little crispy and bruised but he's alive," Kix answered.
Obi-Wan gave a small sigh. "Well, that's some good news at least."
Cody stared up at Rex, eyes tracing the angles of the face he knew so well. A hand rested on Cody's shoulder.
"Cody," Obi-Wan's voice murmured gently, "You need to rest, Kix will inform us if there's any change, but Rex needs time to heal." Cody wanted to fight back against his General and friend about that, wanted to argue and demand to stay by Rex's side, but he knew there was nothing he could do, not while Rex was in that tank.
Cody didn't think he could stomach watching the man he loved in such a condition any longer.
"I'll comm you if there's any change, Cody," Kix murmured as Cody passed. Cody nodded in thanks and followed his Jedi from the medbay, stopping every now and again to check on his and Rex's men.
"Make sure he gets some rest, General," Helix spoke up from where he was treating Waxer's fractured arm. "I give you permission to sit on him to make sure he does," Helix said with a sad smile. Obi-Wan gave a small laugh and promised that he'd make sure Cody got some rest. "You get some rest too, General," Helix added as a final farewell.
Cody hesitated as he got out into the hall.
He didn't want to go back to his room alone, knowing that Rex wouldn't be there.
Obi-Wan just gently grabbed his arm and led him through the hallways and to his own room.
"Sir, you don't have to," Cody mumbled as Obi-Wan pulled the Commander into his room.
"Cody, you've slept here before, and I don't think you should be alone at the moment," Obi-Wan told him gently. "Besides, Helix gave me orders to make sure you rested, and I don't want to go against the medic," Cody gave a small smile at that. Cody took off his stiff officer greys, leaving just his blacks on as Obi-Wan shrugged out of his robes. Cody shivered as he stood in just his black body glove now, watching as his General dropped his soiled cloak into a basket with a grimace.
"Grab a drink and sit down, Cody, I need to use the 'fresher," Obi-Wan sighed as he gently pushed Cody in the direction of the bed. Cody just curled up onto his side as Obi-Wan used the 'fresher. He was lying there, gold eyes misted, when Obi-Wan curled up beside, fresh from his shower in his sleepwear. Obi-Wan pulled Cody into his arms, holding him close, as Cody finally let the tears fall, knowing he didn't have to be the emotionless Commander with Obi-Wan, with his friend.
"Obi-Wan, I-I can't live without him, I can't," Cody whispered as he clenched on tight to Obi-Wan's loose white shirt. "I haven't been without him since we were cadets."
"He'll pull through, Cody, you know how stubborn he is," Obi-Wan murmured into Cody's ear as he gently ran his hand through Cody's dark hair. He knew how much Cody and Rex cared for each other, could feel the adoration they had for each other through the Force. He also knew, however horrible the thought was, that one could not survive without the other, much like Fives and Echo or Waxer and Boil. Obi-Wan continued to murmur reassuringly to the shaking Cody, who was sobbing softly, something that Obi-Wan rarely saw from his usually tough Commander…but he knew that sometimes his Commander and Cody were two separate beings altogether. He sent gentle sleep suggestions through the Force to Cody and soon Cody was asleep in his arms.
Obi-Wan begged the Force to help Rex pull through.
