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CHAPTER Forty Eight

Ana wasn't in the med bay or mess hall and he still had a mission to attend to. Rex stormed back to the hangar, fellow rebels jumping out of his way in the corridors; as he entered, he saw a rookie in a too large maintenance uniform hovering around the ramp of the ghost before going into it. He headed towards them to let them know their role in no uncertain terms; he didn't have the time or inclination to molly coddle them. The figure turned to face him; it was Ana, the very last person he needed on this mission. It stopped him dead.

"What …..are you doing here?" he asked in that familiar voice, the one that had made shinys tremble back in the day; he emphasised the pronoun.

"Dr Neiman's thought I may be useful, if there are any medical supplies down there, I can identify them and arrange the transport for the ones we need most and be there, and if any of you get injured." A flash of hurt crossed her face, for a second before she regained her composure.

"This is my mission and I say who comes on it." He dragged her by the arm, down the ramp, she pushed back, pulling her arm from him.

"It was an order and I'm following it; I'm a rebel now or didn't you know." or care, she thought. "Rex, it's just salvage."

"No it isn't, I'll decide what it is and this is not simple salvage. We are going into a battlefield; you are not trained and have no experience." He jabbed her in the chest as he emphasised the words. He was totally back in Clone Captain Rex mode and with that he finally pushed her towards the freight area; she struggled to keep her balance but she did and finally stopped, standing just past an astonished Ezra and Kanan.

"I've already done some relief work, it can't be worse than that? And has he got experience?" She argued, pointing to the young man, Ezra, she had seen standing by watching them. Ignoring her, he was already on the com to Dr Niemens and walked away, turning his back on her to have the discussion, while she paced up and down, in front of the ramp, where Ezra and Kanan looked at each other, or anywhere else, just avoiding watching the argument, or her.

"You're not needed" he said, finally "It's a seppie base. Clankers only, no organics and no medical supplies. End of discussion."

"You got me taken off?" Her voice raised at least an octave. "Argh." She stormed back up to him and thumped his arm and then strode off. Rex stood there, hands on hips, implacable.

.

How dare he!

She was furious, her hand hurt, her arm hurt, and she headed straight to where she always went now, when she had a problem.

Wolffe.

She burst into his office; he looked up, surprised to see her.

"What's happened?" He asked, calmly.

"I was supposed to be going on a salvage op to Agamar, with Kanan and Ezra but Rex is going and now he's got me taken off." Her face was flushed with anger, "How can I do my job if he does that?"

She paced up and down his small office, several times, until she finally came to a stop; Her breathing was steady now and she was no longer the shade of an Inquisitor's lightsaber.

"Better now; now that you've got that off your chest?"

"No."

"Okay." he sighed, ready for round two.

"Sasha, Dr Niemens, specifically asked me to go on it and he overrode her. She's the head medic, for feks sake."

He pushed a Caf under her nose.

"Thanks." She started sipping it. It was scalding hot.

"He said it was because there would be no medical supplies there."

"Agamar you say?" Wolffe tapped his datapad and studied the results. "No, he's right there's no medical supplies identified there."

"What? Sasha was sure there would be."

"Might have been bad intel. Intel's a bitch at the best of times. SNAFU."

Ana was half way down her Caf now; "SNAFU?" She asked, she was desperate to learn everything to help the rebellion. Even the acronyms.

"Situation Normal All Fekked Up."

It brought a small quick smile to her face; she looked at him from under her lashes, he knew what that look meant. "Wolffe?"

"No, we agreed."

"You told me." She stared at him, defiantly. "I did not agree. I'm not sure I can go back to him. I don't even know if he even wants me back."

"Oh, He does, and yes, you can." Wolffe recalled his recent conversation with Rex.

"I'm not going to."

"You need to. If you want, let him make the first move then, but after that you go back to him. You'll love him like you always have. You'll make him happy. And you do not say a word about us."

"He…."

"I've already spoken to him; he thinks I just tried it on with you, only the once and failed because you didn't want me."

"Wolffe, I.."

"No you don't. Don't say it. You don't love me, not like him. I know that. I wish it were different but…..that's life."

"I ...can't, not so soon after us …... what if he …."

"He will. And you will or he'll know something is wrong."

He came around and pulled her up, "Now go back to the med bay, as if nothing had happened." She immediately wrapped her arms around him and laid her head against his chest. Three days ago, he would have dragged her into his arms.

Fek this is getting harder.

He pulled her arms back away from him and held her hands together in front of him, a barrier, any barrier at this moment. "You need to go back to him, period." He sighed. "We've had this time together, which is more than I ever thought possible." He debated before saying any more, his voice low. "I'll always be there for you, always. Now go." He turned to face his whiteboard on the wall, so he didn't have to watch the tears he had seen beginning, start to fall. He didn't turn around until he heard the door shuck closed.

"Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum."

.

The mission did not go as planned and Rex blamed Kanan, he had jinxed it with that comment on the ramp as they debarked; if you say anything in jest it always happened. He had learnt that rule early in his life and it never seemed to fail; if you say "At least there are no Imperials" - they will appear. But today they, numerous obsolete Clankers, two Jedi and one clone, after all these years, had managed to finally end the Clone Wars. Rex felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders and closure, plus Ezra learnt some valuable rules on engaging the enemy and battle tactics.

He sat quietly reflecting on everything that had happened since that war; lost in his memories, he ignored the banter of the ghost crew. His thoughts went to Ana; the last time he saw her, he had been abrupt, had her taken off the mission but only because he wanted to protect her, and there really were no medical equipment or supplies on Agamar. Now he needed to see her and sort this whole shabla mess out. But first he needed to talk to someone who understood relationships with the opposite sex because he realised, he, as sure as Haran didn't. The him of the hyperdrive had ceased and they had landed without him realising; he looked up and the crew had dispersed.

Standing in the corridor of the Ghost, he was just about to knock on the door to Kanan's room.

"Hey buddy how ya doin?"

"Kanan."

He'll know what to do; he's with Hera.

"I need your help, Gen - Kanan."

"Anything Rex, you were quiet on the trip back, what is it?" Rex looked around him to check for eavesdroppers, he knew how gossip spread. He took a deep breath.

"Women! Well one to be exact."

"Come in." He motioned to Rex, to take a seat, "Is this about Ana?"

"Yeah, how?"

"You didn't handle it well in the hangar, buddy."

"I know...I didn't know what to say." He wiped his hand across his head, "I've left her twice, without explanation; told her she should leave and that I don't want her, but after Agamar …."

"You feel different?"

"Yes. What happened with the Clankers….it sort of put things in perspective. I don't know why. I'm not fighting the Clone Wars any longer. I don't have to abide by those rules. I'm a free man and can make up my own code. Make my own choices. Can't I?"

Kanan nodded, "You can do whatever you want Rex."

Even after all these years he had never really done that.

"I thought I was doing the best by her. Look at me I'm not exactly a catch; I could be dead in a couple of years. Would it be unfair to ask her to …..take me on?"

'The accelerated ageing', Kanan knew about it but when he was younger it didn't seem important. Now he was friends with Rex and the others, he realised how cruel it was, not just to the clones but to anyone they became close to.

Rex nodded.

"Does she know about it?"

He nodded again.

"And she's here now, she came back for you?"

"After Ahsoka..." that loss, still raw for all of them.

"And she's still here? I think that tells you everything you need to know, you just need to be truthful with her."

Rex looked at him with narrowed eyes.

Kanan continued "Hera can always tell if I leave something out, or if I'm trying to impress her or just plain lying, for whatever reason." He smiled to himself. "She always knows." He said softly.

"You ok Kanan?" The ex-Jedi had retreated into his memories. Rex had the notion that Kanan was only here because of Hera. The reverse of himself and Ana.

"Yeah. Just go see her, Rex. Tell her the truth, explain why you did what you did, how you feel and you'll be ok."

.

Rex was almost running now, the closure he felt from the last battle spurring him on. He needed to find her and fast, to make amends, if he could.

He'd been a di'kut; He should grab whatever happiness he could, when he could.

She wasn't in the Mess Hall, he tried the Med Bay, and someone had suggested this next place; he turned the corner and it was a temporary building, as a great many of the Rebel bases were made up of. It was crowded, there were newcomers in for training and other squads back from missions. He saw the hand painted sign above the door. It reminded him of 79's, back in the day on Coruscant, as some bright spark had set up a temporary bar handing out moonshine and any proper stuff when they could get hold of it. He had an idea who was in charge of the still, but it kept up morale, so he wasn't going to interfere. He received a few nods of recognition and could see Wedge Antilles, in a group with some other pilots and some foot soldiers, who he had already earmarked for the Commando programme. Others he had trained in some form or other.

Fierfek, Where is she?

He scanned the room, until he found her, in the corner, reading a datapad.

He pushed his way through the crowd to her.

"Ana."

She looked up. "Rex."

"Can we talk?"

"I'm busy. I have studying to do."

Kriff! She's not going to make it easy for me. She shouldn't.

"What for?"

"I've been allocated to Dr Niemens, full time, I don't just do the cleaning any more."

"Cleaning?" He asked, he knew nothing about that.

Ana sighed "I was allocated to maintenance for a while. I was in charge of the cleaning droids."

"Oh." He shuffled, apologies did not come easy to him. "About what happened in the hangar..." He started.

Ana looked up at him before answering, "Yes. You made your feelings known."

"I'm sorry."

She gave him a long hard stare, "Accepted but I really am busy." Her eyes went back to the datapad.

"I've spoken to Wolffe."

Her heart felt as if it missed a beat and the cold clammy feeling of an adrenaline spike hit her, as she stopped scrolling and slowly looked up again, "And?"

"He explained what happened with the kiss."

"What kiss?"

"You can't deny it. I saw you. Outside his office a few days ago?"

"Oh." Her reply was noncommittal.

"Yes, 'Oh'. He confirmed he tried to…..but you weren't interested."

"He did?"

"I'm not angry with you, Wolffe had quite a rep, with the ladies, back in the day. Probably the eye. I'm angry with him."

"He did?" She sounded surprised, she knew he was fairly experienced but…

"I understand."

"You do?"

"I understand about the kiss."

"Ok." Her eyes returned to the datapad screen again, "Er..I am busy. Excuse me." Ana pointedly flicked the screens over, ignoring him; this conversation was at an end.

This isn't going well.

Rex regrouped, he needed to change his strategy. He made his way through the crowd and leaned at the makeshift bar; the barman, a pilot called Krann, poured him one. He knocked it straight back.

"Problem, Sir?"

"Hmm. Women."

"Perhaps a more direct approach, you always said actions speak louder than words." He offered his advice, as he had observed the interaction between the two. It always paid to be on top of any gossip. He was polishing a rather rough looking glass as he said, "The person in question is coming this way now." He waved some hand signals at some of the customers and several moved, with well practiced synchronisation, ensuring that Ana had only one path to choose, one that led to Rex. She carefully made her way through the maze of bodies, not realising she was being guided directly to him, until she found herself in front of him. She stopped and looked up.

He couldn't mess it up now, so said the only thing he could think of, "Ni'Ceta." She looked puzzled, "I'm sorry. Forgive me."

The crowd jostled and somehow pushed them together.

"Cyar'ika." he wrapped her in his arms, and covered her mouth with a bruising kiss. She pulled away, as far as she could, and looked at him "For what?" She asked.

"Everything." She shook her head, scrutinising his face. He pulled her in closer, the kiss gentler until he felt her yield and respond; he let his feelings take over and he could feel both of her hands on his back.

"Way to go, Cap." He ignored that comment.

"Go for it, Gramps!" This time Rex made an obscene Mandalorian gesture with his free hand, taught him by Alpha 17. There was a round of laughs and applause.

"Nice one Cap, didn't know you had it in you."

"Ahuga." numerous whoops and cheers, came from the crowd, as he continued to kiss her. They finally parted and she leant against him, his chin on her head.

"I need you with me, Ana."

The corner table, was out of the way of prying eyes and they sat close; Rex was just staring at her and she felt the heat rise in her chest, then make its way up to her face, flushing it scarlet. Although she could not help herself when she gave into him; she wished she hadn't.

"I….I…" she stuttered, not even sure what to say.

"I'm glad you're still here." he cleared his throat. "I've been a di'kut."

His arm had wrapped itself around her waist; she tensed and resisted covering his hand with hers, although part of her desperately wanted to do so, she remembered how she felt in the hangar and was even wondering what she was doing here.

Will he do it again?

"Rex….I can't just…..I …"

He saw the deep breath she took and braced himself,

"Rex…"

Here it is.

"I need more time."

After she delivered that, she rose quickly from the table and pushed her way through the crowd to get out, the room suddenly felt claustrophobic.

Yes. He'd totally Fekked it up this time.