A/N: So... someone questioned my choice of giving Rex a legion instead of the canon version where the 332nd is merely called a Company within the 501st. Aside from the fun little side story of Rex taking Krell's legion number that I made up, here was the rest of my reasoning:

According to Wookieepedia, a legion, as of the Empire's time, consisted of 12,800 stormtroopers. I imagine that it would be the same or similar during the Republic. Now, at least in my head, the 501st at this time would be at least a few thousand shy of that number after fighting in the Outer Rim for 5 months straight. So Rex would be given about 4 - 5000 men which I don't see as an unreasonable number to take back Mandalore with. This is the head canon for my story and I'm sticking with it. :D

Mating Instinct:

Ahsoka spun around and very nearly ran to Rex, so badly wanting to throw her arms around him in relief that she wasn't being separated from absolutely everyone that she loved again. But she refrained because there were still other clones in the hangar and she'd already pushed the boundaries of what she could get away with as a respected Commander by hugging Anakin in public.

So she settled for striding calmly but efficiently to meet Rex, schooling her expression to only a small smile of greeting.

At least, that's how it went for a handful of steps until she paused mid-stride as she had a sudden lightbulb moment.

Wait a minute. I'm NOT a Commander anymore! I'm not even a Jedi anymore! I can do whatever the kriff I want!

A tiny squeal of happiness escaped and she picked up a bolt only a few steps from the blond clone. His welcoming grin faded and his dark gold eyes widened in alarm in the half a second of warning she gave him before she was hanging off of his neck, her toes barely touching the ground. "Force, Rexi, I missed you," she whispered, tucking her forehead into his neck just below his jaw.

She felt his head bow over hers, his smooth cheek resting on her montral and his left arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her even tighter against his armour clad body. "I missed you too, Commander," he whispered back, the words breathed on her sensitive skin.

A pleasant shiver chased over her from head to toe and she inhaled in surprise. Stars, he smells amazing. Has he always smelled like this? Or did they issue a new brand of soap to the GAR or what?

And he really needs to stop calling me Commander.

"Ahsoka," she said firmly, looking up. "I could have swore I had you trained to call me Ahsoka when we were alone or at least close enough to it so no one else could hear."

He swallowed visibly and blinked, his arm tightening around her back with sudden tension. What's all that about? she wondered. "I... Yes. Of course. Ahsoka," Rex finally choked out.

Maybe he's not as happy to see me as I thought?

But that thought was quickly dispelled when his grin from a few moments ago slowly returned as she searched his eyes for answers. She purred in approval and stretched up a little further to brush a kiss over his cheek. "Good boy," she murmured, before pulling back and standing on her feet properly again while still remaining in his personal space, reluctant to fully part from him.

His arm slid up her back and under her lek and his head tilted downwards, the tip of his nose nuzzling against the upper part of her left lek. Surprised at the openly affectionate behaviour he'd never shown her before, she reared back a bit and saw that his pupils had dilated and his nostrils were flared as he absorbed her scent. In her montrals, she heard the faint echo of his heartbeat increase rapidly. The look in his eyes was so intense, and so unlike any other look he'd ever given her before that it took her a moment to sort out what it meant and what his suddenly blatant emotions were all but screaming into the Force.

Now it was her turn to blink once in shock before their eyes locked on each other. Oh my Force. Rex desires me! And not just that. I'm sure that is way more than brotherly love he's radiating right now!

Something inside of her awakened at the thought; an undeniable instinct to claim this perfect alpha male as her own. And it scared her because she'd never felt a real mating urge before. Not even her short-lived crush on Lux had made her feel like she wanted to shove him up against the nearest wall and start stripping all of their clothes off. Make out a bit, sure. But not lick and nip and kiss him from top to bottom and most especially in-between.

She stepped back quickly, grateful that Rex seemed to return to his usual self almost instantly as he sucked in a breath and then looked at the floor as shame took over his emotions for a moment before he turned himself off and she felt almost nothing from him again but his usual faint trace of affection.

Whoa. Someone has much better natural shields than I would have guessed. He could teach lessons to the Jedi.

When Rex looked up at her again, his eyes were normal and filled with remorse. "I'm sorry, Commander. I overstepped. It won't happen again."

Once upon a time, when she was a dutiful Jedi, Ahsoka might have agreed with that sentence. But with the suddenly activated mating urge screaming, Oh, hell no! More lekku nuzzling! Now! and the fact that she was still in 'do whatever the kriff I want because I'm not a Jedi anymore' mode, Ahsoka quickly shook her head in denial of his words and her own cowardice. "It's Ahsoka, and we'll talk about this later when we don't have an audience."

His perfectly arched brown eyebrows rose drastically up his forehead. "We... We will? And we what?" Apparently his brain was still a little befuddled from his moment of temptation because he was usually much more aware of his surroundings than this. Ahsoka felt more than a little pleased with this revelation as she started to get fully on board the 'let's see where this mating urge goes' train.

She smiled at him brilliantly and stepped forward again, touching his chest armour lightly with one hand right over his heart, which was still pounding like a far off drum in her montrals, betraying his outward aura of calm. He sucked in air again and forgot to let it out as she said softly, "Yes, we will, my Rexi." She looked up at him with all of the dawning emotions she was feeling in her eyes, clear for him to see, knowing that the highly intelligent male would get the point from that alone. Then she nodded over his shoulder with her chin. "When those nerfherders over there aren't around to cackle like hyenas."

Rex spun around and glared at a smirking Bo-Katan and the not-so-small herd of clones that had gathered to watch the show, including the squad wearing the new orange helmets painted like her forehead markings.

"I thought I told you to stay in the LAATi!" Rex all but yelled.

"Sorry, Sir!" they said in sync as they snapped to attention, and then all but one orange helmeted clone dashed back from wherever they'd come from, their laughter making a mockery of their actions.

The one that had stayed was Vaughn, she was almost sure. (It had been a long time and there were an awful lot of brothers with nearly identical signatures.) "I'm sorry, Commander, Sir. But Lady Kryze came looking for answers and we just sort of..."

Rex cut off the pathetic apology delivered in a voice that rumbled with suppressed laughter. "Enough. We're coming." He put action to words and Ahsoka stayed right beside him. Focusing on Bo, Rex said, "Walk with us, and I'll explain on the way."

Bo nodded regally, her chin-length red hair swinging with the movement. "Thank you, that would be much appreciated."

The Mandalorian fell in beside Ahsoka. When she glanced up at the taller and older female, the green eyed woman subtly tilted her chin at Rex and winked.

Ahsoka would have been visibly blushing if her orange skin was inclined towards showing it. But despite her embarrassment, she sidled a little closer into Rex's side and mouthed, 'Mine' at Bo as Rex started explaining the current situation with Coruscant and the Chancellor.

Bo's lips curled up even higher and a soft laugh escaped, causing Rex to look at the Mando sharply and then down at Ahsoka suspiciously.

She just smiled up at him sweetly and sidled another fraction closer into his space.

His words paused for two strides and he gulped.

Oh, you are sooooooooo mine now. Consider yourself claimed, Commander Rex.