Happy May the 4th and Surprise! As a May the 4th celebration, I'm updating both my fics today. Guilty will be next week's update still, but I wanted to give you guys something for being awesome readers! In other news, The Bad Batch was amazing and now I have to go back and tweak a few things where they are in this fic.

OneLittleSpark18: Aw that's great! I love getting the emotions I'm going for in the fic! I'm so glad you're enjoying my universe!

haze47: Thank you! Luckily for you, you're getting an extra one this week!

LizzyLuna47: Well, you're in luck!

I like to call this chapter: Rex's Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day.

Mando'a translations at the end!

Rex glared down at his terminal's screen. More reports. Most clones hated them, except Echo, but Rex felt he had a worse relationship with them than most. He hated having to put his men down as mere numbers and actions. It felt like another step of dehumanizing them.

"Captain."

Rex glanced up to see Commander Appo leaning in the doorway of Rex's small office. Rex still wasn't used to how the former sergeant looked in Coruscant Guard red.

"You don't have to call me Captain anymore." Rex said, trying not to think of what a massive hypocrite he was. He was glad Ahsoka wasn't there.

Appo smirked.

"Ru'ner alor'ad, darasuum ner alor'ad." He said. "Anyway, I got an update on the person you were looking for."

Rex immediately perked up. It had been weeks since he'd asked Appo to keep an eye out for 'Grif.'

"And?"

"He was arrested for a minor drunken brawl on level 1313." Appo said. "Pretty sure he's into something shady, but since it's 1313, he doesn't have a record."

Rex caught his breath. What in the galaxy was Ahsoka doing living in 1313? The Guard had only recently managed to get a hold in the infamous undercity level. It was known for its crime syndicate roots and general unsavory nature.

"Had to let him go after a couple of nights." Appo said. "But I can give you where he was and his description."

"Thank you, vod!" Rex said.

Determination flared in his chest. Finally, a lead!

"He was arrested at a bar called Jeef's." Appo went on. "He's a Besalisk-"

He stopped short and looked at Rex.

"What's this about, Captain?" Appo asked.

"It's a personal matter." Rex said.

Appo narrowed his eyes.

"I didn't know he was a Besalisk, Appo." Rex said quickly. "If I was after all the Besalisks in the city, I'd go after Dex."

Appo didn't smile at Rex's weak joke.

"He's involved in something else." Rex said seriously.

"And you're not taking this to the Guard."

"Like I said. It's personal." Rex said. He didn't quite meet Appo's eyes.

"You can't just run off and do your own investigations, Rex!" Appo said.

"You sound like Cody."

"I'm serious, Captain. If you get in trouble down there, and the wrong people are sent to deal with it, you could end up in the brig, or worse." Appo said.

Rex frowned. The Coruscant Guard had split into two factions after the war: the newer civilian police force and the clone police force from the war. They were not on friendly terms.

"I'll be careful, vod." Rex promised.

Appo sighed.

"There's no stopping you."

"I got it from my General." Rex replied.

Appo shook his head and made as if to go.

"Appo."

The former sergeant paused.

"Anything new on the disappearances?" Rex asked.

Appo glanced down.

"15 more. 4 different apartments of clones just going missing."

Rex let out a hiss of a breath. Kriff.

"How many does that make it?" He asked.

"Over 500." Appo said solemnly. "It'd be more if the boys didn't fight back."

Rex bowed his head. There were never any 'survivors' from the kidnappings. No one escaped. You were either taken, or killed.

"Are there any leads?" He asked.

Appo shrugged.

"It could be Trandoshans." He said dully. "Or Zygerrians. The fact they can take us with no real legal repercussions must be tempting."

Rex closed his eyes at the now familiar flash of panic and tingling of scars on his neck and back at the mention of the slavers. And the Trandoshans; he knew and hated what they had done to his Commander. She barely spoke for weeks after the event and had to be taken off of active duty for a while.

"Force, I hope it's neither." Rex said after he found his voice again.

Appo nodded. He paused.

"Thorn thinks it's other clones."

"What?" Rex asked.

"Well, the eyewitnesses always claim to only have seen clones in the area at the time of the abduction." Appo said. "Thorn figures they can't all be lying."

"But why the hell would vod'e do this?" Rex asked.

Had the stress of Thorn's new position made him lose his senses?

Appo shrugged.

"He makes a good point about it. What happened to all the brothers on Kamino? We haven't had any contact with them at all."

"They would never." Rex said firmly.

"Not if they didn't know what they were doing." Appo said.

Rex shivered. Yes, Kaminoans had the capacity to erase a clone's identity and will. The idea of mindless clones taking their own brothers dug a pit deep in his stomach.

Sometimes, the war looked easy compared to peacetime.

Rex peered into the apartment. There was no sign of Commander Tano. Good. Rex knew he couldn't lie to her face and he doubted she'd approve of what he was doing. Jesse followed him in, giving Rex a suspicious stare.

Rex quickly changed into his new civvies. He hadn't actually been forced to go and buy them. Ahsoka had provided Chancellor Amidala with Jesse's measurements and the new clothes had appeared at their door a few days later. Rex still felt exposed in the form fitting shirt and high collared leather jacket.

Jesse frowned as Rex emerged.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"Personal business." Rex said. "Tell Commander Tano I'm sorry, but I'll be late tonight."

Jesse's frown deepened.

"All right." He said slowly. "Don't get arrested or anything."

Rex gave Jesse a pointed look before leaving the apartment.

He took a shuttle down. Their speeder would attract far too much attention. When he stepped onto the dank street of 1313 he knew he was far overdressed for this. Most people around him wore ragged, coarse clothing. His nicely tailored clothes made him stick out like a shaved Bantha.

It was better than his armor in any case. For once he was grateful for his blonde hair. It made him less recognizable as what he was.

He still got odd looks as he maneuvered the streets of 1313. Though it was within a few blocks, the journey to the bar where Grif had been arrested felt very long with so many eyes on him.

Finally he reached the grimy bar called Jeef's. The neon lights declaring its name hurt his eyes.

Rex took a deep breath, opened the door and stepped inside. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the low lighting. In that time, the Dug bartender pointed a toe at him.

"We don't serve your kind!" He barked.

Rex quickly scanned the crowd. A Besalisk would be easy to spot. There were no hulking figures, so Rex quietly retreated back outside.

It was the same for the next three bars. No one, it seemed, served clones. Rex had experienced this a few times on the upper levels, but he had attributed it to elitism. Here it seemed to be just hatred of what Rex was.

It was lucky that none of the bars held what he was looking for. He had seen one Besalisk, but they had been obviously female. Rex resolved to try one more bar as another person rammed into his shoulder by 'accident.'

This last bar, a two story building called Pol's, was a shade nicer than the previous ones. When he entered, the Zabrack bartender merely gave him a nod before turning to her other guests.

Rex let out a held breath. The first floor held no Besalisks, so Rex made his way to the stairs. A few pleasure girls called out to him, but Rex kept his eyes forward. The second story was just as empty of four armed beings as the first.

Rex decided to take advantage of the friendly bartender while he was here. She gave him a glance as he approached her. It was nice to have someone look at him with, if not a friendly gaze, at least a neutral one.

"What'll you have?" She asked.

Rex reached into his pocket for his credits.

"I'm looking for someone." He said, placing a few on the bar.

The bartender raised an eyebrow.

"That's new." She said.

"What?" Rex asked.

"Most of the time your type just barge in here demanding information." She said, sweeping the credits into her palm. "It's nice to see some people still have a little class. Who you looking for?"

Rex snorted at the idea that paying someone off was 'classy.' At least she accepted the money.

"A Besalisk named Grif." Rex said.

"Grif?" The Zabrak adopted a thoughtful expression. "I wouldn't call him a regular. He hops around bars, a different one almost every night from what I hear."

She tapped the bar with a finger.

"It's been a while since he came in. Probably means he'll be back soon. He goes on a pretty consistent rotation."

"Would you be willing to contact me when he comes by again?" Rex asked eagerly.

She appraised him.

"I don't like cops." She said. "And I like Grif."

"This is a personal matter." Rex said. "A friend was working with him a while back."

The bartender looked at him closely.

"You don't seem like a bad sort." She declared. "Sure. Give me your comm frequency."

Rex did so, scribbling down his personal frequency on a napkin she provided.

"Name's Pol, by the way." She said, handing him a napkin of her own. "I'm here most of the time."

"Thank you." Rex said. "I'm Rex."

She gave him a half grin.

"Though I don't know what a clone like you is doing being friends with a street fighter." She commented.

Rex froze.

"A street fighter?" He asked.

Pol cocked her head.

"Didn't you know? Grif is the manager of a fighting ring down here."

A fighting ring? His commander had been in a fighting ring?

"She only told me the name of her boss." Rex stammered out.

Pol raised an eyebrow.

"Not surprising. Even down here, street fighting isn't exactly noble. Grif's better than most, though."

Pol looked at him closely.

"I can see it's a bit of a shock. You may want to get home."

Rex turned around, the napkin clutched in his hand.

He was so distracted with his victory and the revelation, he didn't notice the pleasure girl approach until she had slipped an arm around his. He jumped and looked down. It was a pale orange Nautolan. At first Rex thought she had been in an accident, as many of her tentacles were chopped off. Then he realized they were cut in some sort of pattern.

"Hello, handsome." She purred. "You're looking lonely tonight."

Rex tried to stammer out a reply. He hated pleasure girls. They made him nervous and they were always so insistent. This one seemed particularly forward. Most didn't touch a man without permission.

While Rex fought to find words, the woman looked closely into his face. Suddenly her hooded eyes narrowed and her simpering lips twisted into a snarl. The grip on his arm tightened.

"My brother died in the Last Battle of Coruscant, meat droid." She hissed. "You claim to be here to protect us. Why didn't you protect him?"

She spat in his face. The spittle hit Rex's cheek and he felt a distant throb of anger. Dazed, Rex reached up to wipe it away.

"So did mine." Rex muttered, thinking of Fox and the other hundreds of clones who died in the assault.

The woman responded with a sneer. Suddenly she shoved him away with a shriek.

"Don't touch me!" She screamed.

Rex stumbled back. Dozens of eyes were suddenly on them.

"What're you doing to Fre?" Someone called.

A few large men took a step forward. Rex tensed, sizing them up. He could probably take them, but if the rest of the crowd joined in, he was kriffed. In any case, fighting them spelled trouble for him.

Suddenly there was a tug on the back of his coat. He stumbled backwards. He tried to whirl around, but was shoved behind the bar. He straightened immediately and turned to see the Zabrak bartender standing with her arms folded, facing the Nautolan girl.

"Leave him alone." Pol's voice was steely. "He hasn't done nothing."

"He touched me!" Fre said.

"Your job is to be touched, girl!" Pol snapped. "And I know that that's not what you do when you don't want it. If he really went after you, he wouldn't have his poppers! Remember Irelik?"

There was a ripple of laughter and murmurs from the crowd. Fre glared at Pol.

"If you don't like him, just hit him." Pol said coolly. "Now all of you go back to your drinks."

The crowd dispersed with grumbles and a few muttered curses.

"Thank you." Rex said as Pol turned back to him. "Why-"

"There's a reason I let clones in here." Pol interrupted. "They don't come often, but they almost never cause trouble. Even the police are polite enough." She said the last part with reluctance.

"Point is, I can tell you're not the type to do that. And I know Fre hates clones. Didn't take much to put two and two together."

Rex was so shocked to find a civilian willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that he couldn't find anything to say.

"Loth-cat got your tongue?" Pol asked. "Nevermind. Go on, get out of here before there's more trouble. I'll comm you when I see Grif."

She gave him a small push and Rex was startled into moving.

"Thank you." He said again, but the words felt inadequate.

She shooed him away.

"Just don't get into any more trouble."

Rex felt almost good when he stepped back into the murky air. It was late now, and few people scuttled about the streets. It was so refreshing, so heartening to have a stranger treat him like- like he was a sentient.

He should have known it wouldn't last.

"That what I think it is?" A grating voice called out.

Rex looked up to see a stumbling Trandoshan and a human making their way towards him. Rex stayed silent. Hopefully his lack of response would deter the men.

He was wrong. The Trandoshan was like a hound on a scent with the way he zeroed in on Rex.

"Yeah, I know that face!" The Trandoshan went on. "A meat droid! Don't see them often down here!"

The lizard's companion gave a brutish laugh. Rex closed his eyes as he walked. Please. He thought. Just let me pass.

"I know that face better than most!" His molester went on. "They made good enough sport!"

Rex froze. What?

The Trandoshan and his friend came closer.

"Always stayed in their groups; made it a lot easier to hunt." His voice was lower now.

Rex felt sick, his insides feeling as if they were tearing themselves apart. His brothers, hunted like Ahsoka had been. The Trandoshan was close enough for Rex to smell his rancid breath.

"They fought back, of course, but they always died screaming beneath our claws."

Rex whipped his elbow up, crashing it into the Trandoshan's face. The lizard howled with pain as Rex brought his knee up into his stomach. The Trandoshan flailed at Rex. Rex jerked back, but he felt the claws dig into his shoulder and cheek. He grit his teeth against the pain before grabbing the Trandoshan's arm and twisting it behind his back. He forced the lizard to his knees.

"Am I good enough prey?" Rex hissed into the Trandoshan's ear.

He looked up at the human, who stumbled away. Coward.

Rex turned his attention back to the scum writhing in his grip. He slammed the Trandoshan face first into the duracrete. Rex let go for a moment, letting the Trandoshan roll over, gasping. Then he smashed his fist into the bleeding face. And did it again. And again. Over and over Rex rammed his fist down. His knuckles throbbed with pain as the Trandoshan's teeth and scales cut into them.

The lizard was sobbing now, feebly holding his hands in front of his face. Rex leaned back. A sick sense of justice and triumph swelled inside his chest. Justice for Ahsoka, for his brothers. Justice for every kriffing dirty look, beaten brother, and insult screamed at them.

And then he heard the sirens.

Rex winced as the civilian guard member shoved him into the holding cell. He sat down on the bench gingerly. His ribs were still sore. The claw marks were his only injuries from the initial scuffle, but the guards arresting him were- less than gentle. Rex had made himself endure the treatment -beating, if he was honest- because he knew if he resisted it would be much worse.

There was an argument happening somewhere out in the facility nearby. Rex thought he could make out a brother's voice and the officers who had arrested him. The voices were getting louder and louder, to the point that Rex started to make out words.

"You don't have the authority!" That was a clone.

"I've told you, you shouldn't be allowed near each other! You're biased!" Definitely the man who arrested him.

"And you're not? Have you even let him have his one comm?"

There was silence.

"You ge'hutuun!"

There was the sound of a door hissing open. Rex was never so glad to see a brother's face in his life.

He had the regulation haircut that was almost completely grey, but otherwise seemed 'standard issue.'

"Hey, vod." His voice was far more gentle than it had been a few seconds before. "I'm Lieutenant Gen."

Rex nodded.

"I'm Rex."

Gen seemed unsurprised. The officers had taken Rex's name before arresting him. Or rather, he had given his name, but they had apparently wanted only his number.

"Do you need anything?" Gen asked. "Those cuts look pretty nasty."

Rex shook his head. He felt defeated. The system and people he had fought for were so thoroughly against him.

Gen frowned but didn't press Rex any more about it.

"You want your comm?"

"Yes." Rex said.

Gen opened the cell and led Rex to the comm terminal nearby. Rex hesitated before entering General Skywalker's frequency. Rex felt his heart quicken as the comm beeped over and over.

"What?" General Skywalker's sleepy and angry voice finally said.

Rex heaved a sigh of relief.

"It's Rex, sir."

"Rex? Do you know what time it is? I just got the twins down!" General Skywalker sounded extremely annoyed and Rex felt nervous as he prepared to tell the General the bad news.

"I've-" Rex swallowed. His stomach churned with anger, resentment, and most of all, shame. "I've been arrested, sir."

There was silence.

"Where?"

"Level 1313. I'm at their facility now."

"We'll be right there."

We?

"Sir, please don't disturb Chancellor Amidala-"

But the comm had clicked off. Gen appraised Rex with a raised eyebrow.

"Chancellor Amidala, huh?"

Rex flushed.

"I uh, served with her husband."

"I know." Gen said. "Are you sure you don't need anything while you wait?"

"Yes. Thank you anyway, vod." Rex said.

He was suddenly so tired, and he must have shown it because Gen kept a hand on Rex's shoulder on the way back to the cell.

Rex sat with his head bowed for maybe a half an hour before there was a ruckus in the other room. There were raised voices, but they were not General Skywalker's.

Chancellor Amidala burst into the room, hair flying and face murderous. Rex wondered how she still looked radiant as she snapped at the cowering officers.

"Besides the fact that I do not believe for a moment that Rex resisted arrest-" She caught sight of Rex and her eyes widened. She whipped around.

"What did you do to him?" She whispered in a dangerous tone.

"He-he didn't provide the requested information."

"You said first he was resisting arrest. Now you say he just didn't tell you what you wanted. Which is it?" Chancellor Amidala said.

"I-I-"

"Rest assured this will be investigated. And now you will release him to me."

"This clone attacked a civilian!" One of the more put together officers said.

"Currently the clones are the property-" Chancellor Amidala said the word as if it was a curse. "Of the Republic. Rex is a clone and under my protection. You will release him into my custody!"

The officers looked at one another and finally one walked forward.

"Might as well give the Chancellor's property back." He muttered. He opened the cell and turned to face Chancellor Amidala.

"I will be putting in a request for your demotion, Captain." Chancellor Amidala said. "You are dismissed."

The captain flinched, but left the room. Chancellor Amidala swept into the cell.

"Rex, I'm so sorry." She said. "Let's get you out of here."

"Yes ma'am." Rex said.

He had never felt quite so small as when the far shorter Chancellor took his uninjured arm and led him through the holding rooms. Rex did feel a shock of satisfaction when he saw the Trandoshan in his own cell.

Rex looked back and gave a nod to Gen, who saluted back.

"We will speak about your behavior later." Chancellor Amidala said as she guided him to her very nice speeder. "But as you are clearly injured, we'll go to the medcenter first."

"I'm all right, Chancellor." Rex said quietly. "With all due respect, I'd rather go home right now."

Chancellor Amidala narrowed her eyes at him.

"Rex-"

"I'll call Kix in the morning. He's in town right now." Rex said.

She sighed and put a hand on his uninjured shoulder.

"Rex, are all clones as stubborn as you or did you learn this from Anakin?"

Rex let out a tired chuckle.

"A bit of both, ma'am."

Rex was met with three very angry roommates when he returned home.

"This is a first." Jesse said. "You know what time it is?"

"I do." Rex said carefully.

"Where were you?" Ahsoka asked. "Rex- all you told Jesse was that you were going on personal business!"

The stress of the day finally cracked Rex.

"I was arrested for attacking a Trandoshan." Rex said shortly.

The room fell silent. Fives and Jesse stared at him, but Rex focused on Ahsoka. Her eyes were wide as she stared at the marks on Rex's cheek and shoulder.

"What the hell, Rex?" Fives burst out. "Why?"

"He was bragging about killing clones on those hunts of theirs." Rex muttered. "Don't you remember what Commander Tano went through?"

Rex immediately regretted his words when he saw Ahsoka's face. Her eyes had gotten far away. Rex had seen the same look in troopers' eyes as they had flashbacks. Her shoulders started to heave.

"Commander?" Rex asked, reaching a hand out. She started backing away. Jesse and Fives stepped back, almost afraid.

"Commander!" Rex said again as she turned around and ran into the back hallway.

Fives and Jesse looked to Rex.

"Stay here." Rex told them before following Ahsoka.

She was backed into a corner of her room. Her eyes darted around wildly and she flinched as she saw him.

"Commander-"

"Stay away from me!" Her voice was almost a scream.

She took a wobbly offensive stance.

Rex took a tentative step forward. When she didn't move he took another. This time she screamed again and lashed out. Rex grunted as she hit his clawed cheek. She drew back at his noise of pain. Rex knelt down.

"Stay- stay back." She hissed.

"Ahsoka." He said. "It's me. It's Rex."

He held out his hand. She slowly reached out and touched it. After confirming that it indeed didn't have any claws, she took it. She sank to her knees. Confusion replaced some of the fear in her face.

"Rex." She sounded breathless. "What are you doing here? They got you too?"

"Ahsoka," Rex said. "We're not on Wasskah. We're on Coruscant, remember?"

"No, the Trandoshans took me-" She whispered. "They took me and Jinx, and O-mer. And Kalifa-"

She trailed off. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

"The war is over." Rex said. "We're safe. You're safe. Can you breathe with me?"

He took a deep breath and she followed his lead.

A new part of him wanted to pull her close and hold her. Rex quickly squashed the feeling, like he had many times before. He settled for carefully rubbing his thumb over her knuckles and kept breathing with her.

Eventually she looked at him instead of beyond him.

"Thank you." She said in a quiet voice.

"Of course, sir." He said.

They sat for a little while longer as her breathing returned to normal. He helped her up and over to sit on her bed. She hadn't released his hand.

That new part of him was continuing to give him very bad ideas. Like embracing her, or running his hand down her arm, or Force-forbid, kissing her hand.

Once again he shoved those thoughts down. They were inappropriate, especially as his Commander was just finishing a flashback episode.

"Will you let me help you now?" She asked.

Rex froze. He knew immediately what she was referring to. His nightmares hadn't stopped and though Ahsoka hadn't come into his room after the first time, he knew she was aware of them. Sometimes he was sure she was standing right outside his door.

"No, sir."

She didn't need to bother herself with his problems.

Ahsoka frowned.

"They get bad, I know they do. And I know I can help-"

"I can handle them on my own."

"Like how I handled this?" Ahsoka said, anger shading her voice.

"That's different." Rex said. His insides squirmed. He knew he was being a hypocrite.

"How?" Ahsoka asked.

"Commander, we were built for this. We've always had nightmares. Probably always will. We don't need anyone to get us through them." Rex said.

"Just because you haven't needed anyone before doesn't mean it wouldn't help!" She shot back. "Rex, please!"

Rex shook his head. They shouldn't be having this conversation. Her voice was still trembling and she was shaking.

"No, sir." He said again.

Her eyes grew hard.

"Fine." She said. "Then next time, ignore me."

Rex swallowed and tried to think of a retort.

"Fair is letting me help you when you help me." She said. "And fair is neither of us helping the other."

She took her hand from Rex's. He had the desperate and wild urge to grab for it again.

She brought herself fully onto her bed and turned away from him.

"Goodnight, Rex." She said.

"Commander-"

"Goodnight."

He stared at her back.

"Goodnight, sir."

Even though she was still shivering, he turned and left her alone.

She was right. If she couldn't help him, he shouldn't help her.

Mando'a:

Ru'ner alor'ad, darasuum ner alor'ad: Once my captain, always my captain

vod'e: brothers

ge'hutuun: criminal you have no respect for

Nothing like a little PTSD to bring two people together. And then push them apart. Geez they need therapy. And dun dun duuuuuun Ahsoka was a street fighter! Also I just love writing Padme. She is filled with RIGHTEOUSINDIGNATION. I actually wrote the scene before I read Republic Commandos, where a lot of the civilian police force do have respect for the clones. My explanation is Jaller Obrim's boys just can't be everywhere. Also the Trandoshan is referencing an actual thing that I hate where the Separatists would capture clones and sell them to the Trandoshans to hunt for sport. Because WHY NOT.

Anyway, wear your masks, remember to review, and have a great few weeks!