ACROSS THE BATTLEFIELD
CHAPTER 1
The emerald buildings of Christophsis loomed out before Captain Rex as he took in the battlefield from on high. The city could have been, had been beautiful once he supposed but it was now just another place littered with bodies, clankers and brothers alike with the burns of blaster bolts scattering throughout its streets. He saw the scout on the building across from him give the all-clear signal at the same time he heard the irritated voice of his General coming from behind him.
The General was almost always irritated so it wasn't a big deal what was new was the young and clearly female voice that came floating towards him also. Rex turned around to face Anakin.
"What's the status, Rex?" Anakin asked Rex impatiently
"Quiet for now sir, they're gearing up for another assault." Rex looked behind Skywalker, his gaze falling on the alien girl with a grin on her face that spelled the word trouble in several different languages. "Who's the youngling?"
The girl jumped out from behind Anakin and introduced her self "I'm master Skywalker's padawan. The names Ahsoka Tano."
Rex looked from the girl to his irritated General and back to the girl. "Sir, I thought you said you'd never have a padawan." Anakin sighed in response to Rex's question and everything went downhill after that.
Rex was many things. A soldier, (a damned good one too), a clone, the Captain of the 501st battalion, and personal friends with his General. It was that friendship he was cursing in his mind at the moment. For out of all things Rex was he most definitely wasn't a babysitter. He had no clue what to do with the youngling that Skywalker threw at him after stalking away in anger. The girl, Ahsoka, Rex had barely known her less than a minute and she had spun his world into chaos.
"...padawan." She hissed under breath as they walked away from the lookout tower. She had spunk, Rex would grant her that. Seriously what the ever-living kriffin hell was he supposed to do with a child?
"So you might be assigned to General Skywalker as his new padawan?" Rex asked reluctantly. He would rather deal with an awkward conversation than awkward silence.
"Not might. I was assigned to him." She stated firmly before her shoulders started to slump down and she started to walk a little bit more slowly. Her head was down and voice quiet as she asked "Do you think he'll send me back? I don't want to go back to the temple. I was so happy when Master Yoda told me I was going to be Master Skywalker's padawan. But he looked so angry back there and I..."
Rex mentally smacked himself. He should have asked her about something else, or just stayed silent. "The General is just stressed about the battle. I'm sure he doesn't mean what he said." Rex tried to be reassuring. Was he reassuring? The youngling...padawan, girl his mind settled on looked up at him and smiled brightly at his answer. She looked...hopeful.
"Really! You think he'll want me?"
"I'm just a soldier I don't know how things work for you Jedi, I only follow orders." Rex answered carefully not wanting to give her false hope. The girl quieted down at that statement, her white eye markings pushed together in a frown.
What was she? Rex took the time to study her, she certainly wasn't twi'lek. Her blue and white lekku reminded him of Master Shaak Ti from Kamino. That's what she was. She was Torgrutan, her montrals just hadn't started growing that much yet. The rest of the walk down to the front lines was filled with myriads of questions from the young Torgrutan. Her eyes getting bigger and bigger with curiosity as Rex tried to answer them all. Rex didn't know if he should be annoyed or amused at some of the questions she asked.
"You've really never been on a battlefield before have you lil'un," Rex stated after she asked some wild and outlandish question about always having the high ground. He started to chuckle as he watched her bright orange skin darken in what he figured was a blush.
"Ever since the war started younglings have not been permitted to leave the temple for safety reasons. This is my second time off planet since making my lightsaber." Ahsoka admitted sadly before glaring at Rex taking him by surprise. "I'm not a youngling anymore."
Rex held up his hands in surrender "Calm down, I called you lil'un because of how tiny you are not because of your age."
"I'm not that tiny!" She screeched while stamping her foot making Rex laugh. The General was right when he called her snips. Rex was about to reply but her demeanor changed as they started walking along the front lines. "Have you thought about moving that line back Captain? The men would get more cover that way."
Rex sighed but this time in irritation. "Thanks for the suggestion but General Skywalker thinks they're fine where they are." Even though she had the same thought he did about the line he, wasn't going to tell her that. Respecting the chain of command was the first rule in being a good soldier. He watched as the gears turned in her head as she processed his statement. She was greener than brothers just coming out of their vats, not knowing some of the more basic things when it came to be a soldier.
"So...if your a Captain and I'm a Jedi than technically I outrank you right?"
"In my book experience outranks everything." Rex answered sternly. To many vod had died under the command of inexperienced officers. Her enthusiastic answer of needing to get experience concerned Rex slightly. He was about to retort but then she pointed out the ray shield and the conversation was all but forgotten as they rushed towards the holo table where General Kenobi was with Skywalker.
Rex watched with concern as The General and Ahsoka walked away from the group arguing. Their bantering was amusing yet at the same time, he was worried. About his men and the mission.
"They make quite a pair don't they sir." Rex watched as Obi Wan looked at the two in amusement. "Do you think they have a chance?"
Obi Wan turned to face him. "They better," he said gravely "If they can't turn off that shield generator before it reaches the heavy cannons there will be no escape for any of us." Obi Wan turned back to the holo table studying it once more. Rex walked away and started to put the men in position. Then it was just a game of patience. That's all war was in the end. Hurry up and wait with bursts terrifying life-threatening action in the middle. He checked his blasters making sure they had enough charge and bolts in them. The waiting was always the hardest part. Adrenaline spiked through his body and made him restless, but he had learned how to deal with it and was able to bundle up the excess energy saving it for later. He was going to need it against the ever-growing swarm of clankers.
As everyone waited for the battle to begin the men started talking.
"Who was the girl with the General?"
"I heard she was his new padawan learner."
"Ha! Get real the General would never take on a padawan learner."
"I was there when she introduced herself. It's true, apparently, Master Yoda assigned her to Skywalker."
"No, it gets even better vod. I was up on the lookout post, she was able to backtalk the General and get away with it. She even called him Skyguy."
"Oh, I bet he didn't like that."
"He didn't. Instead of taking her lip he passed her on to Rex here so she 'could learn respect'."
Rex rolled his eyes. Of course the youngling would cause the men to start gossiping at a time like this and throw him into the conversation too. "Men, focus, you can gossip about the youngling later." Rex barked through the comms and was answered with a chorus of 'yes sirs'. The men soon quieted down and there was silence once again as they all waited for the battle to start.
As the clankers came closer Rex gripped his blasters tighter, his muscles clenched and he forced himself to relax. Soon enough Obi Wan gave the signal and the battle started.
It was close but Skywalker was able to save the day once again. "Great job General Skywalker," Rex said as the two Jedi climbed on board. He looked at the tired Torgrutan standing by the General "You to kid." She smiled brightly at Rex before turning to look at the General.
Rex watched the mischievous grins between Skywalker and Ahsoka and felt a pounding headache come over him. His mind groaned in agony as it was filled with all the possibilities of the mischief the two could get into.
Rex found himself organizing troops when Ahsoka ran up to him with a giant grin on her face.
"Skyguy officially made me his padawan!" She shrieked with excitement. Rex's headache flared into a migraine.
"Calm down snips." Anakin gently chastised, walking up behind the overly excited youngling with an amused smile on his face...wait, not a youngling. Padawan; and Rex realized suddenly. His new Commanding officer. Force help him and the battalion.
Rex was going to murder his General. "You can't be serious sir. It hasn't even been a day."
Skywalker laughed. "Ah come on Rexster," Rex's glare could've destroyed planets at Skywalkers use of his new 'nickname'. "It's not going to be that bad."
"I don't know what to do with a youngling! I'm a soldier, put me on the battlefield. I was not made to babysit."
"Then don't think of it as babysitting. Think of it as training a new recruit. Which in some ways she is. Even Jedi have to sign paperwork with the GAR in order to keep the chain of command in working order. So she is in a lot of ways a new soldier, and training new soldiers is in your job description. Now, I need to go find my padawan and tell her the plan." Anakin patted Rex's shoulder as he walked away, Rex shooting death glares into his back the whole time.
Seeing that trying to blow up his General with his mind wasn't working Rex did the only thing he could do. He went to his office, slammed his head into his desk a couple of times before hiding in paperwork. As he filed reports he struggled through what he was hoping was not a mid-life crisis. Close, so close; he was so close to having a promotion and becoming Commander himself and then...this. It's not like he resented the padawan, he really had no right to. But he was worried. She was so green and while it seemed like she wanted to be a good Jedi and protect his men, it didn't matter. Until she learned the ropes he now had twice as much work than before. Maybe five times more seeing how she seemed to be even more exuberant than the General.
How does one teach a green Jedi shinny in the first place? As Rex was trying to figure out the best way he looked at his Chrono. "Ah shebs," He muttered out loud. It had been almost three hours. The General should be leaving soon if he hadn't left already. Rex raced out of his office, he needed to try one more time. As she practically skidded into the hangar he saw the General. He was talking to his padawan who had a frown on her face. A few seconds later she left the hangar head bowed low. Taking his chance Rex walked forward.
"Sir, are really sure about this." Rex asked when he reached the Generals side.
"Don't worry Rex everything will be fine. Besides, I'll only be gone for a week. It's not the end of the galaxy," Anakin climbed into his fighter. "I'll see ya in a week buddy. Make sure nothing happens to my padawan..actually no, make sure my padawan doesn't accidentally blow up the ship." With those last words the dome closed over Anakin and he shot out of the hangar.
"Well, fek." Rex swore before leaving the hangar. He had a Commander to find.
It didn't take long. He almost tripped over her while turning down a corridor.
"I'm sorry, are you ok Rexster?" Ahsoka asked from where she was sitting on the floor. Did she look...sad, nervous, confused? Rex couldn't tell. Maybe it was all three at once.
"What are you doing there lil'un?"
"Well, I...I was going to go to..but then," She took a deep breath before starting again. "I don't know what to do. Skyguy left so suddenly and I have no clue what's going on, where I should be; I know nothing. I don't like not knowing what to do."
"Sir, I don't understand." Rex answered, completely confused.
Ahsoka glared at him. "Don't call me sir, I don't like it."
"As a Commander in the GAR, you rank higher than me. Sir is a form of respect."
Rex's statement had Ahsoka groaning in despair. "See, I barely understand that. I know the general rankings of Command but that's about it. I don't know how to be a Commander, I barely even know what being a Commander is. Skyguy is supposed to help me. Teach me, but he just left. I know that when I'm on the battlefield I am to follow orders and protect the men as much as possible but besides that. Nothing. I was going through reports on my datapad earlier. I don't even know ninety percent of what they're saying."
Seeing as how she wasn't going to be getting off of the floor any time soon and his legs were getting tired, Rex figured out his best option was to sit down next to her. He had a feeling this conversation wasn't going to be done anytime soon. She looked slightly more relived as he settled down next to her. "Your confused lil'un. I get it, but everything will make sense soon."
"I don't like being confused Rexster. I don't like not knowing what to do. I've been off planet twice before I was assigned as Skyguy's padawan. When the war started the Masters deemed it wasn't safe for us younglings to leave the temple. Everything is so new, so amazing and exciting, and I don't know my place in it all." She fell silent, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes.
Oh force, she was having an existential crisis. This was way out of his comfort zone. He decided to take a chance. "I can't help you with Jedi stuff, or figuring out your place in the universe but I can help you understand what it is to be in the GAR. To be a soldier. Besides, if you can survive the General being your master being in the GAR will be a piece of cake."
Ahsoka's facial markings and montrals brightened along with her smile. "Really Rexster! You'll help me! Thank you!" Ahsoka practically screamed in glee as flung her arms around Rex's neck in an impromptu hug.
Using one arm, Rex patted her in between the montrals in good nature; while with the other one he was struggling to unwrap her arms from his person. As soon as he was free and about to say something her stomach growled; rather loudly. Her montrals and orange skin flushed a shade or two darker in a blush. Rex shook his head and chuckled a little bit as he pulled himself off of the floor. "Come on, I'll take you to the mess hall, it sounds like you haven't eaten in days."
"Eh, I kind of haven't." Ahsoka shrugged.
Rex stopped in his tracks. "What do you mean you haven't eaten in a few days!" Concern for well being shot threw the roof. The Commander starving her self was most definitely not what General had in mind.
"Well, there was all the commotion on Cristophis, and when we were back on the resolute I was having so much fun talking to the guys I kind of forgot to get food before we landed on Teth. Then there was the battles and drama between Teth, saving stinky's life, meeting Jabba, then master leaving. Food had kind of just slipped my mind." She shrugged nonchalantly. "Besides as a Jedi you're supposed to be able to meditate for days, forgot your physical needs in order to explore the spirituality of the force and understand its meanings."
"Even if that is so, as a soldier, you need to be on the top of your game at all times; and that means having some type of food in your stomach." Rex countered.
"If you insist."
As they got closer to the mess hall Ahsoka started to become quieter which was concerning Rex. Quiet met, she was panicking. "What's wrong lil'un?"
"I was just wondering. Some of the men are going to be in the mess. I don't know what I should. As a superior officer and a Jedi do I separate myself from them or do I try to get to know them? Not only that but with Skyguy gone for a week if I'm not allowed to get to know the men I'll get lonely and bored," She looked up at him with worried eyes "Did you know that my species is a very family orientated species? We need to be around other people, what happens if I'm not really supposed to be around the men."
The two stopped walking and Rex leaned up against a wall thinking of the best way to handle the situation. As a Jedi he wasn't sure what she should do, seeing as how that was not his area of expertise. All of the Jedi he had ever served under have been so different. Skywalker, Kenobi, Yoda, and Plo Koon truly wanted to get to know their men. They were compassionate towards the clones and saw them as the individuals they were. Other Jedi were cold, unfeeling, uncaring. Some only called them by their number. Considered them as nothing but flesh drones. Rex thanked the force almost every mission that Skywalker was his General (yet at the same time he cursed the force for Skywalker being his General. The man was just crazy sometimes, getting himself almost killed every chance he got.). Skywalker truly cared bout his men. He wanted to get to know them, he considered them friends. Rex had a feeling that he would want his padawan to feel the same way.
Yet on the soldier aspect, things were different. As a Captain, Rex loved and cared for his brothers. He mourned when they died, especially the ones in Torrent Crew which he led. Yet he also had to distance himself from them. He needed to make sure that no matter what they saw him as a superior officer.
"General Skywalker has made it pretty clear to me that he wants me to teach you how to be a soldier. A good soldier, and a good leader knows their men. If they know and respect their men and the men know and respect their leader it creates better teamwork on the battlefield and less loses. So I believe, that yes, you should get to know the men and let them get to know you. After all, you're going to be seeing more of them now than anyone else that's not a clanker or a seppie. There will be whole weeks to even a month or two when we're out in space and have little contact with anybody outside of the Resolute.
"From what the General has told about your beliefs as Jedi, you're not supposed to form attachments. Yet attachment is different from compassion and friendship," Rex looked at Ahsoka and smiled slightly. "But I think you already know that. When we were in hyperspace before landing on Teth you were talking to the men, telling the story of how you and the General were able to turn off the ray shield. You were building them up. Giving them moral support. That is a rare thing for a Jedi to do."
"Rare as in bad?" Ahsoka asked. She had been listening very intently the whole time Rex spoke. Soaking up every word he said, he could tell she was truly to trying to learn and understand what he was saying.
"No, not bad. Skywalker, Kenobi and now you; are some of the very few Jedi I have met that want to listen and talk to us clones. That is a good thing. A very good thing."
"I think I understand what you're saying." The two started walking again, Ahsoka deep in thought. "Will you help me get to know them?"
Rex chuckled. "Of course lil'un". Ahsoka smiled at him once again as they turned the corner and entered the mess. It was full, the line long and almost all of the seats taken. Rex quickly looked around, his battle senses taking everything in, judging the situation. He saw Hardcase towards the end of the line talking with Denal and Kix. Perfect. "Hardcase!" Rex barked, the man immediately ran over and stood at attention.
"Sir?"
"At ease, I need you to look after the Commander for me, show her how things are around here. I'm needed on the bridge." Rex ordered. He could see Ahsoka's confused face before he winked at her. She quickly understood what he was doing.
"Yes, sir!" Hardcase stated before looking at the Commander, "Sir, if you want to come this way." He said a little bit nervous. Not quite sure what to do or what was going on. Almost automatically Ahsoka glared at being called sir and said that she should be called Ahsoka. Rex internally groaned while rolling his eyes. Seeing how everything would be fine he walked out of the mess. He took one last look behind him and smiled in approval. Hardcase was already introducing her to Denal and Kix. The group was smiling and laughing within a minute. Maybe taking care of the Commander wouldn't be too bad after all.
Taking care of the Commander was driving him insane. Rex had been all over the Resolute and couldn't find her anywhere. Where the kriff was she? After leaving her in the mess, Rex headed back to his office determined to finish paperwork. After several hours, a shower and a quick nap later Rex admitted to himself the hard truth. He was hiding. While things were easy to deal with a couple of hours earlier didn't mean he wasn't still in full-blown panic mode and needed to calm down. Except now he was nowhere near calm. He lost the Commander. He was about to pass the door that led to the rec room when he heard the shouting.
"Ah come on that's pretty fekked up why can't he blows up the ship!" One of the men yelled.
"Di'kut! If he blew up the ship the princess would die!"
"What if he at least weakened it? Took out its hyperspace converter or destroy an engine or something!"
"Do you want to find out what happens next?" Ahsoka's voice rang through the argument. Automatically the men stopped talking. Rex turned into the rec room to see that men were surrounding their new Commander. They were sitting in chairs, on the floor, leaning on the wall. Some were even sitting on top of the bar. All of them were facing her with looks of wonder.
"What's going on here?" Rex asked. Almost instantaneously every turned to look at him, some with a twinge of fear on their face, as if they were doing something wrong.
"Rexster! Just in time, come on get comfortable I was about to tell the men how the knight is going to save the princess." Ahsoka called him over with a giant smile.
Rex raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"It's storytime, obviously" Ahsoka shot back sarcastically.
Amused and intrigued Rex leaned against the wall. "So, what's happening?" Vod automatically started talking, shouting over one another showing their excitement. From what could tell from the snippets of whole phrases he could hear the story had something to do with a princess who was kidnapped by an evil sith lord who needed her in order to perform an evil ritual in order to control the galaxy. There was a knight (but not a Jedi knight) who was trying to save her. A frozen king, and something about Rancors. He was confused but it seemed like a good story.
"Now, where was I?" Ahsoka asked. After a couple more seconds of shouting about where she left off, the men fell silent and waited for her to start again. Why couldn't they pay this much attention during a mission briefing? As Ahsoka told her story Rex couldn't help but feel a little proud. She was getting to know the men and letting them get to know her; and from what he could tell, the men were all liking the new Commander. Each every one had a slight fear of Jedi until they found out what the Jedi was like. Ahsoka was proving that she was unlike any Jedi they had ever met. Rex wondered how things would be in a months, or even a few years if he lived that long. What would she turn out to be.
Almost two hours and several interruptions later the story was done, the knight barely saving the princess in time. The king unfrozen, the knight and princess were married and ruled the planet in peace living happily ever after. Men started to walk out of the rec room and soon it was just Rex and Ahsoka in their. "That was a good story lil'un. Where did you learn it?"
Ahsoka looked down as her montrals darkened into a blush. Rex raised his eye brow and waited for her to talk. He had a feeling the explanation was going to be a good one. "I may have kind of sorta made it up on the spot," She whispered almost guilty like. Rex's eyebrow raised further. "It's just they were all swapping stories and they wanted me to tell one, but besides what Skyguy and I did on Cristophis, Teth and Tatooine I don't really have any. It was...Denal I think who finally told me to just tell them a story any story really. At the temple, we were never really encouraged to read fairy tales but I knew the basics so I started making it up and followed the men's suggestions as it progressed."
She made it all up. On the spot. Because the men asked and it made them happy. She truly was one of a kind. "Well, I say you did good lil'un."
"You really think so?"
"If I didn't think so I wouldn't have told you, you did. Understand this. I will always be honest with you. Being honest is one of the most important things a being can do. It shows respect."
Ahsoka looked Rex, her eyes searching his. "Thank you." She jumped off of the table she was sititng on. "Come on, Rexster, I'm sure Skyguy left you a list a parsec long of stuff you have to do and teach me."
Rex sighed knowing she was right. "Rexster really? Do I get any say in this new nickname you have ever so kindly decided to bestow on me?" He asked sarcastically.
Ahsoka just laughed and nodded her head. "Nope, you're officially stuck with it now."
A little while later Rex and Ahsoka were in his office going over some of the more basic commands and codes that she needed to know. Ahsoka was a quick learner and soon knew everything by heart. "I just don't understand why I have to write a report. They're so...impersonal and boring."
Rex pinched the bridge of his nose. They had been circling the same conversation for almost fifteen minutes now. "It's about chain of command and accountability. Reports allow the GAR and the Jedi council to know and have a semi-accurate depiction of events that went down on the battlefield. Some times things need to be investigated and the reports help keep details in order."
"I don't understand why I have to write it down. Why can't I just tell them what happened." Ahsoka groaned.
"After a while every battle and battlefield field start looking the same. You can't remember everything that happened in one battle when five others were playing out the same way. Not only that but with the adrenaline coursing through your veins, having clankers shooting at you and many other factors that go into a campaign, details start to blur. Accounts help not only others in the chain of command but you also." Rex explained in what he hoped was a calm and patient tone. "When the General or Admiral asks questions about a particular battle you have reports to fall back on in order to tell them what happened.
"I have an eidetic memory. I can tell you details of breakfast I ate three years ago."
"Having an eidetic memory or not it doesn't matter. In the end you still have to write those reports and read the others."
"Ugh, who knew war had so much paperwork involved." Ahsoka placed her head on the desk before sighing deeply. "Ok. How do I write these damned reports." Rex was explaining about how to put in the details. "DO I have to put in every detail?"
"Yes, every detail even the ones you'd rather not put in."
"Do I also have to write down personal ones?
Rex shook his head. "The GAR doesn't care about or needs to know personal feelings. Only facts," Rex was silent for a second before he rummaged through his data pads. "Here, you can read mine about this campaign. It will give you a good idea of what is expected."
The room was silent as Ahsoka read through Rex's report. It wasn't until several minutes later when Rex remembered he gave her all of the reports. Including the ones dealing with Slick. That was something he still hadn't come to terms with and probably never would. His brother, one of his closest friends at that betrayed him, all of his other brothers and everything else they stood for. He really hoped Ahsoka didn't ask questions about that. That situation definitely went into the whole GAR doesn't need to know personal feelings.
After awhile Ahsoka slid the reports back to him, her face pensive. "I think I get the idea of what I'm supposed to do." She picked up her own data pad and after a few seconds of contemplation started writing out her first report. The two worked in comfortable silence and almost an hour later she was done. "Rex, tell me what you think." She said while handing the data pad to him.
Rex skimmed over it. The details were sharp, matter of fact. Her words weren't muddled or spinning in circles. It read as if she had been writing battle reports her whole life. "Good, really good. I'm impressed."
"Really? You don't think it needs any work? Anything I should add or take away."
"No, I think it's an excellent report and almost a thousand times better than the ones the General turns in. If you ever need an example on how to not write a battle report just look at his."
Ahsoka laughed before sitting up, she stretched, arching her back and smiled as she heard her spine popping back into place. "I'm going to go get some shut-eye. I'll see you tomorrow Rexster."
Rex nodded his head. "Good night lil'un."
Ahsoka stood by his door, hesitating over something. Making a decision she turned back around. "Rex, I'm not sure what really happened you never have to tell me unless you want to but I'm sorry about Slick. I can't imagine what it feels like, having one of your brothers betray you like that."
Rex was silent not knowing how to respond. In the end, he didn't have to. With another smile, Ahsoka walked out the door leaving him alone with his thoughts.
Authors Note:
I normally hate it when people do authors notes and I skip over them but I feel I need to make one for this story. In the description, It says slow burn and that is only technically true. This story is going to be very long and slow (not action slow, they are in the middle of a war after all. There is going to be tons of action). There is a lot of obstacles the characters need to get through. Age differences, maturity differences, and others. At the moment Ahsoka is very much a child still, pre-teens, not knowing what's going on and what to do. A base needs to be set up. A friendship. Right now Rex is a teacher, he isn't even a friend yet and it will take a while for them to reach that point and even longer before they realize they are something more. From a realistic standpoint, Rex is somewhere in his 20's and Ahsoka is barely a teenager, they need to grow older before anything happens. Especially Ahsoka, I am going to try my hardest to mention ages and where they are timeline so it is easily understood where this is going. I hope you guys won't be disappointed when they don't jump into each other's arms by chapter 10. It's just not realistic. Anyways I hope that you guys don't want to read my story anymore with I just said. I'm just letting you know this is going to a very long ride with a couple of twists and turns.
Oh and on another side note before I forget. My other story Rules for Dealing with Commander, while very much is a stand-alone feel-good comedy it also ties in with this story sometimes. Some of the things mentioned in RfDwC will appear in later chapters and vice versa, even though that fic will be done long before this one.