Items in this story in italics are memories.

Chapter 1

His hair was graying around the temples, but that was the only things that denoted that he had aged. No he hadn't aged much at all in the ten years she had been in hiding with him. Although his body was starting to play games with him because of continued abuse from feats that most men wouldn't even attempt. He was just 20 years old now. She was 23 years old, but felt as though she was many, many, many years older. She was sure he felt the same way.

Ahsoka Tano smiled as she finished wiping the counter in the small hovel of a house where she lived with her companion. Rex, no longer using the military rank that had been given him, stood outside the small dwelling looking off in the distance. His body was rigid and in a perfect military parade rest with hands clasped in the small of his back, head held even and feet shoulder width apart. The smile widened on her face because she knew no matter how many years he had been out of service, it would never leave him. He would always be that soldier. It was the hero in him that had saved her life all those many nights ago.

"Keep your head down Ahsoka," Rex said shoving her down again as she tried to peer over the small permacrete abutment they were hiding behind. They had been on the run for almost six hours and her small body was starting to get weary from running. Captain Rex continued to encourage her telling her it was only a few more steps, but how did he know how much longer they would have to run before they got off this world that had somehow turned completely upside down?

"There is what I'm looking for," his rough voice said through the helmet's vocal filter. He pushed the range finder roughly back up to where it sat like an antenna on his helmet and sat next to her, his back bracing against the wall. He checked the charge in his weapon again. It was the only weapon they had left and she knew that the charge must be getting low. They had to fight their way out of several places already. Ahsoka's lightsaber had been lost as they ran from the Jedi Temple earlier in the day. She didn't really care if she ever got it back. Being a jedi now was a scary thing.

She blinked keeping the tears away as she thought about what had been lost. Who had been lost...

"What are you smiling at?' the voice of her protector said waking her from the dream of that night on Coruscant.

"You," she said easily looking up at him. "Seems like you can take the soldier from the battlefield, but he still can't stop being a soldier."

Rex chuckled easily, something that had not been that easy to get him to do in the first few years they had been in hiding together. He would often just give sideways glances because humor was somewhat uncomfortable for him. Seeing so many people die would make one's sense of humor hard to find, she knew. It had happened to her too.

"Well, maybe I still want to be a soldier."

She folded the towel in her hand and hung it over the handle of one of the drawers in the small kitchen. Since when had she become such a good housekeeper? She had always been neat, but now she found herself charting her day by what room she was going to clean up next. Not the way of a warrior, but a warrior who no longer wanted to fight a war that was impossible to win had to find something to do with her time.

Crossing her arms, she leaned against the counter and looked at him. "Still want to be a soldier?" she said her lips parting widely in a smile. "I think you are the only one."

A shadow flashed across Rex's face, but the smile never left his lips. For some reason, he always knew how to make sure Ahsoka didn't know what he was truly feeling. Even being locked together for 10 years with only each other as company, had not opened him fully to her. There were secrets that Rex kept hidden away in his heart. She just wished that he would trust her enough to tell her the things that he thought were his alone. She had spilled many of her secrets to him during the time they had been together.

"It's just a dream," Rex said holding her close and trying to reassure her that she wasn't locked in mortal combat with the evil in the universe.

"There was fire and I couldn't...I couldn't get away. It was licking at my ankles. I could feel the fire burning me," Ahsoka sobbed as she clung to the one person who knew the nightmares of her life because he had lived them too.

"It's not happening," he said pulling away from her and wiping her cheeks with the sleeve of the shirt he was sleeping in. He cared for her like she was his child. There was something very paternal about the way he interacted with him. Although he never had a father to learn from himself.

Her breathing was quick and shallow, but she began to settle down. The reassurance of Rex's hand in hers was enough to help her realize that this was real life, not what she had been dreaming about.

"Cover back up and lay down," Rex said pulling the blanket up towards her shoulders.

"I'm afraid to sleep...what if the fire is there again?"

Rex smiled easily, his brown eyes twinkling in the darkness and his voice was reassuring, as it always was. "Just picture me there with you and I won't let anything happen, not even in your dreams."

"What were you looking at outside?" She said quickly changing the subject because she knew that he was uncomfortable with answering questions about being a soldier.

"There seems to be someone moving about on the horizon," Rex said placing his hands on the counter top. "I'm not sure who or what it is, but they are still pretty far off."

She twisted her fingers together. Suddenly, they had become rather interesting. It was always the same. They had to hide and if they were discovered, well Rex would take care of it. She knew that killing was not the way of the jedi, but it was the way of the soldier. It was not the first time that he had done things to protect them from prying eyes. She didn't really want to think about it either.

"I'm sure that we are fine," he said.

"I know we are, but it's you I worry about."

"Don't worry about me little one, I'm sure that I can take care of the both of us."

Ahsoka nodded, her headtails bobbing along with the motion. She had grown very tall since they had gone into hiding. Most people wouldn't even recognize her as even being a jedi. To most, she looked like any other Togruta adult. Rex was the one who was easier to spot in a crowd. He always mourned the fact that he shared a face with so many who now spent their time in service to the Empire.

"I know you can because you have for so long."