"Padmae," Anakin's voice flittered through the thin material of his tent. He twitched, and mumbled something else. Then her name came again, louder this time.

"Padmae!" it was enough to make Rex, who was standing guard, jump. In a milli-second his blasters was in his hands. He was on high alert, his entire system in over drive. He had been hearing things in the bushes all night. Eerie rustling and the far off hunting calls of some predator. What was worse was Anakin was gravely injured after sacrificing himself to save the party. Jedi Alya Secura and Padawan Ahsoka Tano had left with the others to go find help for him. That left just Rex, alone on this unknown planet with a man labeled dinner. He decided to get up and pace, ahem, check the perimeter. That was what he was going to do.

Anakin moaned again and his eyes flickered open. The pain that assaulted him was crippling, and he restrained the need to scream. He blinked again, which hurt too. He lifted his head a fraction of an inch to take in his surroundings and that actually caused him an involuntary groan of pain. That is when he saw the beast lurking in the grass around the crash site. Years of instinct took over and he got to his feet ready to draw his light saber. Then to his own dismay his legs buckled beneath him and he toppled forward onto the dirt, helpless as a new born kitten.

Rex heard groans from Anakin's tent and rushed to his beloved commander. The man was standing when he got there and for a moment Rex thought he was his normal self, just a bit more battered. Which was saying something considerable because Anakin was constantly getting pummeled. But then the great man toppled onto his face and chest, arms not able to catch themselves. It was horrifying to see him this way, not even able to stand. Extremely terrifying for Rex, who had always viewed this man as a rock. He kneeled down beside him, asking through his helmet,

"Are you all right sir?" Anakin pushed himself up on his hands and struggled through the pain to form words of warning for the man he trusted with his life.

"Be- Behind you," he managed to spit out. Rex turned just in time to see a beast lunge at him from the grass. He let out a shout as it tackled him. He tried to get his blaster up but the bird, lion, thing, crushed his hand with its foot. He let out another shout as a bone in his wrist cracked.

Anakin struggled to rise, desperately tried to stand but his muscles wouldn't obey. He was left groveling in the dirt while Rex got mauled and he was filled with such a rage against these creatures. He should be fighting. He tried one more time to bring his feet under him and he actually let out a shout. He fell again.

By that time Rex had managed to pull the trigger, shooting the thing through the foot. He stood and shot after it as it fled into the wilderness, but didn't manage to hit it. He was breathing heavily and as the adrenalin left his lungs he felt wiped. Then he turned back to Anakin, and saw the man slumped once again unconscious on the dirt and felt a pang in his heart as he slowly maneuvered him back into the makeshift shelter.

"You'll make it through this General Skywalker," he paused and looked on as blood dripped down Anakin's face like a tear. "We have faith in you."

Anakin's nightmare returned as he fell back into unconsciousness. He had Padmae under him and she was shrieking like she usually did when they made love like he wanted to. Rough, hot, like a battle. It was no pick-nick for her, trying to keep up with him. But she was and he was thrilled. Then suddenly she began to choke. He stopped, pulled up.

"Love," he said and pushed the hair back from her forehead. She still choked, eyes rolling.

"Padmae," he said shaking her, putting his ear to her chest to listen for a heartbeat. There was none.

"Padmae!" he shouted for many times that night. Blood bloomed from her lips like a beautiful rose. The red took up all his vision and suddenly he was bowed before her on his knees. He boot connected firmly with his side and he toppled over, but her scrambled back to a bowed position. He voice caused him to bend his head lower.

"You're never here! Never home! How do you expect me to love you? How do you expect me to love a Jedi? What do you think I do when you're not here? I am a senator. There are only so many ways to get people on your side. Sex is one. Like you were ever faithful," she kicks him again.

"I was Padmae! I love you," she laughs at him and spits in his face. Somewhere he realizes Padmae would never do something so vulgar, that this is all a pain induced nightmare, but most of him is there, living his greatest fears.

"If you love me, then I love you. And that is the greatest of your many lies." Then she steps on him and walks out of the room.

"Padmae!" he shouts and reaches out to her. Then he is back, with her dead on the bed. Then he is watching her fade into the mist, reaching out for him lips mouthing Ani but not saying the word. Then she falls. Down, down, down into the blackness where he follows. He jerks awake. That's when he senses it. The beasts are back and stronger in numbers.

Rex tirelessly stands guard. The large sun had risen a standard hour ago. He scans the terrain for more of those creatures. He see's none. He has become used to the silence when he hears a groan and turns to see Anakin trying to sit up again.

"General, you must maintain your rest," and he gently pushes the man back down. There is a fire and a panic in his eyes though and he forces himself to speak.

"I- Can't- rest," he breaths the last word heavily. He struggles against the weight of Rex's hand. He grabs his friends wrist and pushes his arm off while using it for leveraqge to force himself to stand. Rex feels the weight the General is supporting on him and is taken aback. He can't hold himself up at all. "hh-Rex- hh- They're coming. I can hear them," he pauses to gasp. "We must fight," and then he grunts. It is torturous to see him this way. He draws his light saber as the first creatures come over the hill. They charge them, and Rex manages to kill one but the other blasts right between them. Anakin is thrown into the dirt and he knows he can't get up again. Rex is flung into the ditch where he jars his already fractured wrist into a full on break.

They both know they're dead.

Then out of the grass comes the Commander and Ahsoka. Anakin is barely clinging to consciousness, but Rex see's them and thanks the force and all the gods he can name that he and the General were going to live.