Hello! My name's Brooke and I've been writing Clone Wars fanfiction off and on for ten years now. I recently got some scary health news that necessitated me taking a leave from work and college and moving back in with my parents. I need a distraction from the testing and treatments, so I've wandered back into my favorite pastime: torturing my Clone Wars babies. I'm writing this first chapter from the hospital on my phone, so sorry if formatting is wonky!

The title is pretty self explanatory, there'll be 26 one-shots from A-Z featuring our favorite group of disasters. Requests are welcome and appreciated!

Chapter A

It was only their third day on Xerogh, a backwater in the Outer Rim, and Ahsoka was already sick of it. It rained constantly, the frigid water somehow managing to slip into the tents being used as makeshift barracks, and she was pretty sure she hadn't stopped shivering since they arrived. Her cloak was useful for about fifteen seconds before being completely soaked, and now wearing it would only weigh her down. To make matters worse, she'd woken up with a dull stomach ache. She knew she shouldn't have trusted those expired rations.

"We know the Separatists have a base set up here, about twenty-five klicks east just outside the capitol." She forced her attention back to the matter at hand, focusing on the holomap Anakin was standing in front of. "As soon as we take that base, General Secura's forces will come in from the north, and we'll launch a two-fold attack on the capitol. That's our last target. After that, General Kenobi will negotiate a treaty with the king."

A sudden, sharp stab of pain through her stomach made Ahsoka gasp, embarrassingly loud in the silence. Anakin shot her a searching look. "Snips? Something to add?"

She awkwardly cleared her throat, avoiding her Master and Rex's searching gazes. "Just wondering when we're moving out."

Anakin stared at her moment. "0600 tomorrow morning. Enough time to get some good rest before we head out." His gaze lingered, ice blue eyes unreadable. "If there's no questions, you're dismissed."

Ahsoka made to follow the clones as they filed out, but Anakin's hand stopped her. He waited until they were alone before leaning against the holo table, crossing his arms over his chest. "Want to tell me what that was all about?"

"Nothing," Ahsoka said automatically. "It's nothing. Just some rations not agreeing with me."

Anakin's gaze turned concerned. "You need to go see Kix?"

"I just need to sleep it off." Ahsoka shot him a grin, hoping it looked genuine. "I'm fine. I promise."

Lips pursed, Anakin quirked an eyebrow, looking unconvinced. "If you say so. Let me know if it gets worse."

"I will." Ahsoka made her escape, ducking out of the command tent and into the torrential downpour. It was barely 1800 hours but she went straight for the tent she shared with Anakin, drying off as well as she could before slipping into her bunk.

She didn't know how long she dozed, but at some point she was vaguely aware of Anakin entering, quietly walking over to stand by her bunk. She felt the cool skin of his palm on her forehead, rolling over and opening her eyes to slits. "Master?"

"Just checking on you," he said with a sheepish smile. "I need you at 100 percent tomorrow."

"I am," she muttered, closing her eyes again.

It felt like moments later that Anakin was shaking her awake, hurriedly buckling his utility belt. "Up and at 'em, Snips," he said, roughly pulling on his boots. "It's already 0500. We've got an hour until we head out."

"Yes, Master," she mumbled, sitting up as he hurried out of the tent. Her stomach ache was now a fierce, stabbing burn, centered on the right side, and if she wasn't mistaken she'd spiked a fever.

Briefly, she considered going to see Kix, but quickly discarded the idea. The medic was no doubt busy preparing for the upcoming battle, and besides that, if Anakin caught wind, he would undoubtedly sideline her. Stop being a baby, she scolded herself as she got ready. It's a stomach bug. Just a few weeks ago Anakin had fought through grievous injury on Maridun, so if he could do that, she could fight through a little virus.

As always before battle, the camp was in a state of organized chaos. Rex was standing on a crate, directing his men carrying supplies, but spared her a quick wave when she passed. She could see Anakin through the doorway to the command tent, speaking with holograms of Master Secura and Obi-Wan. She didn't fancy trying to keep up a healthy facade for the next half hour, so she busied herself packing up supplies.

Before she knew it, they were on the march. Her boots slipped on the muddy ground and she struggled to keep pace, falling to the back with the excuse of covering them. She kept her eyes on her boots, focused on putting one foot in front of the other, trying to ignore the knife in her stomach that was rapidly becoming even more painful.

"Sir." A clone's voice right next to her nearly made her jump out of her skin. Embarrassed, she shot Kix a small grin.

"Sorry, Kix. Lost in my thoughts."

"Right." The medic's expression was hidden under his helmet, but she could sense his worry. Blast it. "How're you feeling?"

"Great," she said brightly, raising her chin. Her stomach throbbed angrily. "Ready to scrap some tinnies."

"Uh-huh. I'm sure that fever's really gonna help."

Ahsoka slumped, knowing she was found out. "It's nothing," she insisted. "Just a bug. I'm fine." She bit her lip. "You can't tell Anakin."

Kix was silent for a moment. "Commander, you're not fighting fit. I have a responsibility to-"

There was a muffled explosion from the front of the group, shaking the barren, muddy ground. "Ambush!" she heard Anakin bellow. "They're buried in the mud!"

Even as he spoke, droids were unfolding themselves from the muck all around them. Ahsoka ignited her lightsaber, forcing all pain and weakness from her mind. The Force sang around her as she fell into autopilot, leaping into the fray.

"Keep going!" Anakin shouted, suddenly landing beside her. "We're close to the base! We can at least use it as cover!"

Together, they covered the clones' retreat, slowly backing up. There were close to a hundred droids slowly advancing on them, seemingly unbothered by the sheets of rain. Despite her stubbornness, Ahsoka could feel herself tiring, something Anakin had already picked up on. He stayed a half step ahead of her, drawing most of the blaster fire.

"Pyro! Blow the wall!" Anakin shouted.

Ahsoka risked a glance behind her, surprised to see they'd somehow made it to the base. Pyro, their explosives expert, wasted no time in attaching a couple stratetigically placed bombs on the wall - and none too soon. A blaster bolt caught Ahsoka's leg and she cried out, falling to one knee. Anakin was covering her in a heartbeat, lightsaber just a constant blur. "Now, Pyro!"

The wall blew inwards, covering the waiting droids in rubble, and Ahsoka painfully climbed to her feet. Someone - Knox, she realized distantly - threw her arm over their shoulders, helping her limp through the opening. As soon as everyone was clear Pyro threw a grenade with deadly aim, taking out enough of the droids chasing them for Anakin to clean up the rest.

Thankfully, it seemed the Separatists had dedicated many of the base's droids to the ambush. Knox carefully eased her down against a jagged piece of rubble, staying crouched next to her, blaster drawn. "Hang tight, kid. We're almost done."

Ahsoka nodded, teeth gritted. The pain in her stomach far outweighed the blaster wound, and she was shaking with fever chills. She wanted nothing more than a soft, warm bed and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to imagine she was already there.

She didn't think she fell asleep, but when she opened them again, Anakin and Kix were both in front of her wearing matching concerned expressions. The sounds of blaster fire had faded to the disconcerting quiet of post-battle stillness. "BP's shot and she's tachy. Fever's over 40 - I wouldn't be surprised if it's a systemic infection now. She needs the first medevac out."

"What's going on?" she asked, surprised at how wrecked her voice sounded. Her teeth wouldn't stop chattering.

"What's going on is that your appendix burst." Anakin's tone was half worried, half angry. "Why didn't you tell me you felt bad?"

"You were counting on me," she whispered, blinking sleepily. Everything looked like it was spinning. "I'm…fine."

"You're not fine," Kix said tightly. "When your appendix bursts, it sends infection throughout the abdomen. You need surgery and antibiotics, immediately."

"Oh." She leaned back tiredly against the rubble, exhausted. "It doesn't hurt as much…"

Kix snorted. "That's because you're pumped full of painkillers. I've already called for a medevac."

Ahsoka drifted after that, lulled by Kix and her Master's voices. She was vaguely aware of someone picking her up and laying her on a stretcher, followed by the familiar prick of an IV in her hand. A strong hand squeezed her shoulder and she heard her Master's deep voice rumble, "I'll see you soon, Snips."

The next time she opened her eyes, she was warm for the first time in what felt like forever. The mattress underneath her body felt impossibly cushy, and most importantly, dry. She felt the familiar floaty feeling of strong painkillers and the tickle of oxygen tubing in her nose.

"Snips?"

Anakin's voice. She should probably open her eyes, because he sounded pretty worried, but she was still so tired.

"Snips, c'mon, wake up for me…"

He sounded more exhausted than she felt. Grudgingly, she peeled her eyes open, blinking in the harsh artificial light she recognized as the Resolute's medbay. Anakin was leaning over her, hair tousled and still in his smoke-singed tunic. There was a cut along his cheekbone in need of a bacta patch. Even so, he broke into a grin when he saw her awake.

"Welcome back," he said lightly, dropping into a chair by her bed. "You feeling okay? Any pain?"

She shook her head, wincing when the room spun. "I'm good." Her throat felt like sandpaper and she swallowed thickly. "Did we win?"

"Of course we did." Anakin smirked, leaning back in the chair. "Obi-Wan's negotiating the treaty now."

"Good." She took a deep breath, clumsily drawing the blanket higher. Her thigh throbbed dully, reminding her of the blaster wound. "When can I leave?"

Anakin raised an incredulous eyebrow. "Not anytime soon. Do you have any idea how sick you were?" He shook his head, not waiting for an answer. "Your appendix burst, which led to a blood infection. Your vitals were all over the place. They did an open surgery to clean out all the infection, but you've got a long recovery ahead of you."

Ahsoka wrinkled her nose. "We'll see."

"There's no 'we'll see.' You're gonna be here for at least the next few days for IV antibiotics. You're officially out of commission for at least two weeks, and then you'll have a full physical to make sure you're in fighting shape." He sighed. "Had you come to me when this all started, it would've been a keyhole surgery with just a couple day's recovery."

"Sorry," Ahsoka mumbled, winding the thin sheet through her fingers. In all her efforts to be the tough, selfless Padawan Anakin needed her to be, she'd only made things worse.

"Hey." She glanced up when Anakin put a gentle hand on her leg. His expression was so gentle, miles from the battle-worn, serious facade he kept up most of the time. "It's my job to protect you, and I can't do that if you keep secrets from me. No matter how pointless you may think they are. But I do get it - I was a Padawan, too, very recently." He grinned and stood. "Once you've recovered, I'll tell you about the time I hid a broken arm from Obi-Wan for two weeks."

Her eyelids were getting heavy and she blinked sleepily. "I'll hold you to that," she mumbled, lulled by the warm pull of strong drugs and illness. She heard the deep, low rumble of his chuckle, and then knew no more.

A is for appendicitis

Next up, chapter B! Again, feel free to send suggestions!