(I am glad everyone seemed to like the reveal. I know it has been a while since I posted that chapter, university has been getting kind of crazy and it is hard to focus on this. I hope you all understand and will stick with the story. Thank you for reading and supporting my story, I really do appreciate every single person who reads my work.)

Dagger felt like she was floating up into the clouds. The weight, the anxiety, of hiding from Rex was gone. He hadn't expelled her from the 501st, he didn't even seem to be upset in the slightest. His reaction could only be described as positive. He was supportive and respectful.

Rex understood why she did it, he really did. He would help her keep this secret too. He would protect this treasured knowledge with his entire being. He would protect her with everything he had.

He lay there on the bed and just stared at the ceiling. Thoughts swirling as the water ran in the refresher. If he was being honest with himself, it was a bit of a shock to know that Dagger wasn't a man.

However, in his professional opinion, it didn't really change anything. She had already proven that she could do her job well, nothing was going to change that. It certainly did nothing to change the way Rex felt about her.

If anything it made his feelings stronger. He had a face to hold in his mind, a face to focus his attention and affections on. A frown made its way onto his face, he had already promised himself he wouldn't make any further moves to get closer with Dagger. Anything that happened had to be initiated by her.

His fists clenched as he recalled what had led to him making that internal promise. Echo. That trooper was as good as dog meat when Rex got back. How could Echo have done that to Dagger? Especially so soon after finding out what she was.

It didn't sit well in Rex's mind. The thought of forcing himself on anyone made him sick. The thought of forcing himself on Dagger made him want to die. He wasn't blind enough to think that Echo didn't feel the same way. He had seen the way that Echo had disregarded his own injuries. He had heard the way that he had talked about what had happened.

A harsh side of Rex said good, Echo deserves that pain. He deserves to know what he did was wrong. He deserves to feel remorse and regret for it. Rex's protective nature was in full force just thinking about Dagger.

Yes, she got into trouble a lot, but most of that didn't seem to be her fault. There had been so many bad things to happen to Dagger over the years and he was saddened to know that he couldn't have done anything to help her because he didn't even know her. During all of her training she had been abused by their creators.

He felt a twinge of satisfaction that her abuser was dead. Rex had been the one to kill her and he was proud of that. It was a silent victory as he would be sent to reconditioning if anyone found out, but it would still be worth it. That long neck could never hurt Dagger or anyone ever again.

Rex didn't know the first thing about cloning. All he knew was that he, like millions of vod, came out of a test tube. He figured it made sense that there would be a mess up somewhere along the lines. Dagger was a female, it had to be a gene thing or like a chromosome thing. Maybe that was what made her unresponsive to the growth serum too.

The reason she was twenty two instead of twelve. That had to be a long time ago, Rex's mind hurt trying to put together a timeline. She was probably as close to a normal human as any of the clones would ever get.

The bed dipped and he was ripped out of his thoughts by the presence next to him. He lifted his head up off the pillow and his breath was once again stolen by seeing Dagger's face. He didn't know if he was expecting to see her face again or not, but he was glad that she trusted him enough to leave it off for the time being.

Her eyes were big, watching him curiously as she climbed into bed. Her hair laid slicked back and darkened from the water. He moved over just a bit to make sure she had all the room she wanted, the bed was big enough to fit at least three so there was no need to crowd each other.

Rex realized he hadn't slept in the same bed as someone for a very long time, and it was possible that Dagger had never done so, "This ok?"

"What?" she asked as she settled onto her stomach under the covers, her head turned towards him, "The bed?"

"Yeah I guess. I don't want you to be uncomfortable or worry," it felt like a stupid question now that he had asked it out loud, but he figured he might as well explain.

She snorted out a laugh, "I think your body would actually go into shock if you ever did anything immoral. You just aren't built that way Rex and I don't think it is possible to be uncomfortable in a bed this soft."

He nodded in agreement and smiled as she slid her dagger under her pillow, sheath and all. His blasters were similarly placed on the nightstand on his side of the bed. He realized that he liked to watch her face, she didn't hide her expressions cause she never had to before.

"So are you comfortable like that? I mean, doesn't it hurt your neck to sleep on your stomach like that?" he had always wondered about that and now seemed as good a time as any to ask.

"Yeah, it's what I'm used to and it doesn't hurt my scars. Now though it is kind of a give and take. Either my new scar on my stomach hurts or my old ones on my back hurt," she explained. She really didn't seem to mind holding his eye contact and that gave Rex just a bit more insight to how she had behaved under the helmet for the past few months.

"So they still hurt?"

She nodded with a tight lipped expression, his heart ached at knowing that she was still in enough pain to cause her to sleep differently. Those had to be some harsh scars, especially if the medical files he had seen were anything to go off of.

"Could I-" wait, he couldn't ask that. He had no right to ask her to see her scars, just because he had no problem showing off his body did not mean that she felt the same way. He had to remember not to ask for things, "Never mind."

She smiled sadly, "I don't know if even Kix looked at them."

"Dagger, I didn't mean to- I was curious but you have already shown me so much today. I'm not even going to ask," he felt bad about even implying that he wanted to see her scars. He did, of course, want to see. There was some morbid curiosity to see just how bad they were, maybe he could plan around certain things, anything to minimize her pain. He had seen the injuries in her file, he wondered if the scars had faded at all.

"It's ok, it doesn't bother me. It's not like I can do anything to change it now. The scars are as much a part of me as the helmet, more so actually," she explained it with a detached calmness. She spoke as if she were talking about something else entirely.

Dagger shifted around and from where she lay on her stomach she pulled up the back of her shirt until the hem rested at her bottom ribs, "You can look Rex."

He sat up a little quicker than he should have, he berated himself for being so curious. He looked down at the exposed patch of skin on Dagger's lower back. The mid tone skin was criss crossed with so many scars. He would be hard pressed to find a patch of skin larger than his palm that was unmarked.

His eyes flickered down to the bed again, he shouldn't be looking at this. His gaze kept drifting back to her, so many scars, it was amazing that she even survived all of that. Rex had seen first hand that pain could send a soldier into shock, the way that they could die from improper treatment, or how easy it would be to get an infection.

Dagger turned her head on the pillow and looked at him. She smiled lightly as she saw him hovering next to her. He looked so hesitant, it was amusing.

She reached out and gently grasped his hand, she guided it to her skin. She shivered slightly as his fingertips made contact with her skin.

His hand was warm, his fingertips light. He traced around the patterns of puckered skin. Some scars were fading to white and some were still red and couldn't be more than a few months old. Deep sadness filled him.

"Can I ask a question?"

She nodded, he took a breath, "When did it happen last?"

"Just before I got sent out. I think the medic on Kamino, Pinch, had something to do with me leaving so quickly. I think the Madam knew I would be leaving soon so she wanted to take out what she could on me. She wanted me to be afraid."

He could see her breath tremble as her back rose and fell, "I don't remember much of it, but I think she almost killed me. The whip cut down to the bone and Ninety-Nine found me on the floor in a pool of my own blood. Pinch put me back together and it felt like just minutes between when I woke up and when I was sent to the Resolute."

She paused, thinking for a moment, "I didn't believe it at first. I was so scared the whole flight that the transport would just turn around and bring me back to Kamino. You and Commander Cody were the first clones I ever met outside of the medics and Ninety-Nine."

Rex nodded, his fingers absently tracing her scars, "Do you remember the first thing you said to me?"

"I don't," he replied quietly, so much had happened since then.

"You asked me if I had a name yet. You never called me by my number, I don't know if you even know it. You didn't see me as just another clone, you didn't know I was a mistake. I know it doesn't really matter to you, but that question mattered to me," she said.

Rex hummed softly, "Of course it matters. It will always matter, you aren't a mistake. You are Dagger and that is what is important."

"You know Jango gave me that name."

"Yeah? Good, I couldn't think of one that would be more fitting for you," Rex said with a small smile. He lightly ran his fingertips up her spine and she shivered slightly.

He remembered that feeling well, "That morning on Coruscant that we found you at that woman's house, the morning you told us about what happened. You asked to see my back. You- you kissed me."

He looked at her face and could see her cheeks flushed bright red. Rex smiled, she looked even more beautiful when she blushed. He pouted as she hid her face in the pillow.

Did he have an impulsive idea? Yes. Was he going to repay the action that had played in his mind many times after it had happened? Also yes. He had felt the phantom sensation of her kissing his back in so many dreams. Those dreams had been so real he had woken up expecting to see someone beside him in his bunk.

Rex shuffled down the bed and planted his hands on either side of her narrow frame. Starting above the top of her pants he pressed his lips into her skin. Tracing her spine he kissed over her scars and unmarred skin alike with soft touches of his mouth.

Dagger sucked in a quick breath. She remembered that day as if it were yesterday. She could still feel his warm, smooth skin on her lips, still feel her heart pounding for taking off her helmet.

Her brain might as well have short circuited feeling him do the same thing to her. Rex took his time, barely moving at such a slow pace up her spine. She wanted to cry at the tenderness of his touch. He was so gentle, she wasn't used to this. Not to mention that no one had ever touched her back without the intention to hurt her. Rex would never hurt her, in that moment she was sure of that fact as if it were as certain as the universe was wide.

An eternity later, his path led him to the barrier of her shirt. He did not push it any higher, he did not move any further. Instead he pulled the shirt down, covering the scars. She relaxed slightly as her back was once again covered. Something about being exposed put her on edge even though she knew she was safe.
Dagger only pulled her head out from where she had hidden it in the pillow once he had moved back over to his side of the bed. He settled himself under the covers on his side. He propped his head up with his hand, his face was unreadable to her. She couldn't pinpoint what he was thinking, she didn't know what his expression meant.

"She won't hurt you again, no one will. I swear to you that I will protect you," he said.

She knew he was serious but she couldn't help her smile, "Rex, you know you can't promise that. We are soldiers, we don't get to stay safe. Being hurt is just part of our life and there is nothing we can do about it."

He looked down, she was right but that didn't mean he had to like it. She continued, "I know you will do your best, but please don't blame yourself when I get hurt. You know better than I do that sometimes you just can't keep people safe."

He nodded and laid his head down on his pillow, legs curling up slightly, "I won't let you down."

"You never do," she said. The lights were turned off and the night stretched with the quiet hum of the ship filling the silence. There was comfort between them and both soldiers drifted off into sleep.

~B~

She slid her helmet back on as soon as she was dressed in her uniform. The familiar weight of it comforted her. It was her shield from the world, with her helmet she felt protected. She emerged from the 'fresher as Rex was clipping on his kama. He smiled at her and she gave him a small nod.

They were to meet in the hall with the others to begin the day. Another day where she had to keep her secret. The weight of it seemed to be even heavier than usual. The alleviation of telling one more person made the burden that much more to hide from the rest of her vod.

Rex mirrored Dagger and slid his helmet on. They locked gazes through their visors, "Nothing has to be different. I swear I won't tell anyone."

"Thank you."

Dagger followed Rex out into the hallway. Kix and Jesse were leaned against the wall next to each other with their shoulders touching. Something was not right.

Since when did Jesse have a medic pauldron? While she was trying to figure out what had happened Rex let out a loud sigh, "Did y'all even check your uniforms before you came out?"

Jesse and Kix snapped their heads to the side to look at each other. Jesse let out a laugh and Kix smacked him in the chest plate with the back of his hand, "Di'kuit! You took my helmet!"

They both lifted off their helmets. That was an odd sight to see Kix's face come out of Jesse's helmet. The medic was red with embarrassment and Jesse wore a self satisfied smirk as he took his own helmet back.

Before Dagger could even open her mouth to speak she was interrupted by a shriek from the room in the middle. The four troopers all looked at each other in confusion.

"I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!"

"That has to be Fives," Rex commented as they heard an ungodly screech that could only be from Cricket.

Rex moved forward with no real urgency and opened the door. The durasteel slid open to reveal a scene that made no sense. Kix put his hand up to cover Jesse's visor, Rex barked out a laugh, and Dagger just stood with a slack jaw at the scene in front of her.

Cricket was pinned to the bed, arms scrambling up to claw at Fives'. The ARC was straddling him in nothing but his boxers and effectively choking the life out of him.

Fives as covered, absolutely covered, in marker drawings. It looked like a youngling had been unleashed on him in the middle of the night. There was nothing on his face so it was easy to see just how red it was.

"You kriffing Di'kuit! What is wrong with you?" He jerked Cricket up and down off the bed, his head lolled with the motion.

Cricket looked at Rex with pleasing eyes, choking out some fashion of a plea for help. Rex sauntered up like an exhausted dad and wrapped his arms around Fives' chest. The action effectively pinned his arms and he lifted him off of Cricket. The trooper gasped for air as his throat was finally released.

He grinned at his own antics and Rex deposited Fives facing the wall and away from Cricket. The trouble maker called out, "Hey nice tats, Fives they new?"

The Arc trooper whirled around and Cricket screeched and ran out the door. Rex grabbed Fives again, "I will put you in a headlock until you pass out."

Fives continued to glare, but stopped trying to run after the man who was hiding behind Dagger. Rex shoved him towards his bag and told him to get dressed.

With his back turned Dagger let out a little laugh again. There was a sprawling drawing on his back. It looked like a big family tree and it had every single name of everyone in Torrent company. All of the names were in a different font. Cricket had written Rex in big box letters, Echo's had stripes in his name, Dagger's was in cursive. It was oddly sweet even though all of the markings had been put on Fives in his sleep.

He tugged on his blacks while he grumbled to himself. After he was done Rex called back Cricket and held out his hand. The trooper reluctantly handed over the marker.

The Captain examined it to make sure it was in fact washable. Once satisfied he handed the marker to Fives and took Cricket's helmet himself. Fives let a wide smile spread on his face. Instant pay back was always nice.

Cricket pouted as Fives wrote on his forehead. He let out a chuckle and spun Cricket around by the shoulder to present his work to the others.

Dagger face palmed her helmet, he had just written "Di'kuit" on his forehead. She honestly doubted the intelligence of some of them at times. This was one of these times. Fives seemed to be satisfied and didn't want any further revenge for the prank. Rex took back the marker and shook his head like a disappointed dad, which is basically what he was.

The Arc looked between Dagger and Rex, "Good night sleep for everyone?"

"Captain Rex?" right on cue. That was General Skywalker coming down the hall to collect them for the day.

The jedi paused when he saw Cricket, "Is this something I should be worried about?"

"No sir," Rex responded, he elbowed the man, "Put your helmet on. You should know better than to prank Fives."

"So, I just wanted to let you boys know that we will be arriving on Naboo in about two hours. The protection detail will be heading out with the Duchess and the security detail will be meeting up with the other details from the other units. We are going to get some breakfast in the kitchens before you head out. Leave all your bags in Rex's room, someone is going to come get them and bring them to where you will be staying tonight."

"Uh General," Dagger interrupted with a raised hand, "Where are we going to be staying tonight?"

"The palace has plenty of rooms, even with the meeting going on there are still rooms for you to stay in. However, whoever is on the protection detail is going to be in the room that is attached to the Duchess's quarters. That pair is going to have to spend a few nights with the Mandalorian Guards."

"Thank you General," Dagger responded, she didn't know how she felt being around strangers but it wasn't like she would be able to do anything about it anyway.

The detail of six soldiers followed their General to the kitchen and they all got breakfast. Right next to the kitchen there was a small mess hall. Everyone sat at the same table and got to talk during breakfast.
Dagger sat next to Rex, since everyone was mostly eating she was the one to carry the conversation. She was about to jump into another story when Anakin, who was sitting across from her, spoke up, "So you still don't take off the helmet? Even to eat?"

"No sir," she replied slowly. She didn't know if the Jedi was testing her or anything. Rex glanced at Dagger from the corner of his eye, a forkful of food stopped halfway to his mouth.

"Uh General, on the Resolute Dagger goes to eat in my office. There really isn't a place like that here," Rex tried to explain.

"I had a ration bar before we left the room sir," Dagger said easily with a shrug of her shoulders.

Rex looked down at his own food. He knew for a fact that Dagger hadn't done so, the lie had rolled off her tongue so easily. Almost in the exact same way that she said that her scars didn't bother her last night. He hadn't ever heard the tone before, but now that he saw it from the outside he knew exactly what it was.

The forced casualness of her tone, she was lying to the General about her well being. As if she thought she had something to prove, an appearance to keep up. Rex didn't say a word, but he was glad to see that Skywalker looked sceptical as he was.

"Mhm, sure. How about you go grab a plate anyway? You can eat in the next room over, it should be empty and has a lock," he said easily.

Dagger looked at Rex and he nodded. Why she thought she needed permission was unknown to him. She stood and left, leaving the table a lot quieter than it had been. Rex looked down at his food, staring blankly as he realized what had just happened.

"Captain?" Fives asked, "You ok?"

"I- I'm fine," ah, he understood now. He lied just as Dagger had. It wasn't malicious, just to keep others from worrying about him.

The rest of breakfast passed quietly, Rex watched as Dagger returned and sat back next to him. He leaned in and asked quietly, "Do you lie like that often?"

Dagger stiffened up, she realized she had been caught. Her head remained determinedly faced forward, "No."

"Then why did you do it?"

"I didn't want him to order me to take off the helmet."

Rex hummed in understanding. Dagger leaned towards him, "I don't lie to you Rex, not about important things. I promise."

"I know."