He slept, waking up on occasion to a droid injecting a stim or replacing the bacta patches. It wasn't until Cody came by that he was truly conscious again. He had a ring of stitches around his eye, but looked over Rex worriedly.
"Kriff, I'm relieved you're awake," he said, his helmet under his arm.
"Cod'ika." Rex breathed, pain radiating through his chest.
Cody shifted awkwardly, touching the stitches around his eye absentmindedly "Rex I... I was so worried, when they pulled you out of that bacta tank I thought for sure you were a goner."
"You can't get rid of me that easily." Rex chuckled, a sharp pain in his chest.
Cody hung his head, "Rex I, I'm so sorry-"
"Cody, please. I made all those decisions. Don't apologize."
"You did punch a superior officer, captain."
Rex smirked "I have to say, it did feel good." his eyes widened, "Wait, Captain?"
Cody nodded, "Jango and the others recommended us for leadership. You're looking at your new Commander."
Rex smiled, and Cody returned it, "they were going to make you a commander too, but they weren't sure..." he gestured to the machinery. They weren't sure he was going to make it. Rex bobbed his head. He understood.
Kaleera entered, a droid behind her.
"Hello Commander," Kaleera smiled.
"I'm delighted to see him awake." Cody gestured.
"Yes, we've had him heavily sedated to help with the pain and to keep him from moving too much. But he seems to be doing alright so we've lightened up on them." She said with a small smile. "How you feeling, Rex?"
Rex pursed his lips. He was feeling a lot of things, half of which he didn't know how to describe. "Okay, ma'am" was what he settled for.
"Okay enough to try some food?" She asked. "Cody can stay and join you if you'd like."
Cody smiled, and Rex nodded. He wanted to stay with him longer. "Sure, thank you, ma'am."
She brought Cody a small menu, and turned to Rex. "I'd like to start you off with some light broth, how's that sound?"
He nodded, his stomach not feeling quite right, like it'd been removed and put back in upside down. She brought him his broth and Cody his sandwich and caff.
"I'll check back in twenty minutes or so, but don't be afraid to call for me, ok?"
"Thank you." They both called, and Rex looked helplessly down at his broth. His arms felt like they were half what they once were, the grogginess making lifting his spoon seem impossible.
Cody watched him, worry in the crease between his brows. "Rex-"
"Don't," Rex sighed, heat creeping into his features.
"I'm happy to help you, it reflects nothing on you."
Rex grit his teeth. This situation was going to be tough to handle conscious. Maybe he'd ask to be sedated until it was over. "Its ok Cody." Rex lifted the spoon, dribbling some broth on his tray. He ultimately got it into his mouth, although he was sure most of it was on his tray or his shirt.
Cody began his sandwich, rambling on about General Kenobi and some of his new men.
Rex had thought eating again would be a relief, that he'd enjoy the grounding feeling of being a human again. But it felt like tar hitting his stomach. A rock settled, hinting toward the potential for a future stomach cramp, and he pushed the bowl away, the taste of the broth dredging up more nausea.
"No good?"
"I'm just not hungry." Rex huffed, shoving the tray.
Cody sighed, "Rex, I know this sucks, but, please, be patient with yourself. You're pretty mangled, brother, and we need you. So just take it day by day, hmm?"
Rex nodded, feeling foolish, "you're right, I'm lucky to be alive… I just, don't feel like myself."
"You will."
Kaleera returned, a clone medic in tow. "How are you doing?"
He nodded, looking at the clone medic. "This is my assistant, Kix. He's my right hand, so if you ever need anything, Kix is your man." She said and he smiled. She gestured at the tray, "Did you give the broth a try?"
He nodded, "it… it made me feel nauseous." He admitted.
"The pain killers can do that. Would you like for me to turn the medication level down and if you decide we can turn them back up how's that?" He nodded, and Kix moved to the bag hanging above his head and turned a small knob on the base.
Kaleera took Rex's tray. "If you wouldn't mind, Commander, Rex has a few tasks ahead."
"Of course." Cody said, standing. "We're leaving tomorrow Rex, but I'll see you the moment I get back, ok?"
Rex nodded, the thought of Cody going into battle while he sat there burned. "Be safe."
Cody swept from the room, and Kaleera handed the tray to a droid. "I have to change your bandages, how's a shower sound?"
Rex nodded eagerly. He felt allover sticky somehow.
Let's get you going, then." Kix unhooked Rex from the machines, wrapping the tubes in Rex's hands in a strange plastic glove. Kaleera wrapped his knee in the same material, but removed the bandages from his bicep.
"Take your time, Rex. You know your limits."
He nodded nervously. This would be the true show of how wounded he was. Kix pulled his legs over the side, and there were immediately black spots in his vision, the room spinning. He shut his eyes, and Kaleera's hand was on his shoulder.
"Do you want to stay here? There's no rush."
"No, I want to go." He had to know, he had to see if he could do this.
Kaleera helping him up onto his feet her hands firm under his armpits. Her chest was against his, and he flushed. He couldn't say he'd been this close to another person before, never mind a woman. She sat him down in the wheelchair, and Kix took it from her, but not before the door slammed open and people entered, yelling.
Kix looked out, "looks like a blaster wound." He said to her.
"You want it?" she asked.
"You think I can?" he looked over a her hopefully.
"I know you can. Go. You know where I am if you need me."
Kix smiled and nodded before he took off down the med bay toward an incoming trooper.
She wheeled Rex to the other side of the med bay. "How are you feeling?" She asked, pulling open the glass door to the showers.
"Fine, ma'am." He lied.
She sighed, turning the wheelchair around to face her. She knelt down to his eye level.
"You and I are going to be working together to get you through this for quite some time. The sooner you put aside your pride and begin being honest with me, the sooner you'll realize it's in your best interest to do so. I want to help you, so let me. Lying is the easy way out."
He swallowed. "I'm sorry."
"You don't have to be sorry. I'm just letting you know."
"I feel nauseous, and I'm dizzy. Everything feels strange." He admitted.
"That pain killer you were on was very intense, so while its not fun, its normal. Once it wears off you'll feel a bit more like yourself, but pain will come with it, so we need to balance the fuzzy and the pain to find a happy medium for the time being."
He nodded, smiling, "ok."
She put her hands out. "Let's get that surgery gown off of you."
His eyes widened, through his medicated fog it hadn't dawned on him that she'd see him nude.
"Come now, I've seen it all and more. Unless you'd like to wait for Kix?"
It seemed like Kix would be quite a while, and the thought of either going back to his bed and having to get up again, or sitting in the wheelchair for that long both seemed unbearable.
He lifted his arms, resisting the urge to clutch his arms against his chest and refuse. She pulled the gown away from him with expert hands, and he felt exposed. The men were fairly open with their own company, but beyond that they were quite private about their nudity.
She turned the water on, testing the temperature and smiling back at him. "Do you want to try to wash yourself up before I step in?"
He nodded, reddening at the idea of her touching his bare skin, and shook the thought away.
"Yes." He croaked.
She rolled the mesh wheelchair into the shower, kneeling down to secure the wrap around the bandages at his knee.
"Enjoy. If you get dizzy or tired just call me, I'll be right outside."
He bobbed his head and she shut the curtain. He didn't think he'd ever been this alone, even with her on the other side of the curtain. He loved his brothers, but they were always together. He'd always romanticized the idea of privacy, and now that he had it, even for this moment, it was intoxicating. He'd never been without a witness for any action in his life.
He pumped the body wash and rubbed it methodically over his chest and arms, his arms resisting the small action. He was getting tired fast, and focused on the areas he didn't want her to touch before calling her.
"Kaleera?"
"Yes?"
"I... could you help me?"
The curtain opened, and he let the water over his back his eyes on the floor. Water dripped down over the back of his head. She could seemingly sense what he was feeling. "It's ok. There's no shame here."
Rex bobbed his head, and she turned the wheelchair around to face her, and her hands found the body wash.
"Where did you leave off?"
"My back, my head, my legs."
She rubbed the body wash over his back, her soft hands moving in gentle circles. He wasn't sure he'd ever experienced such gentility, but he could sit there for hours. She moved to the top of his head, humming softly.
"So Rex," she began softly, and he opened his eyes. "What do you do in your downtime?"
He thought a moment. "Nothing really. Play cards, drink. I don't have much time to myself so I just join the others."
She smiled. "Now is a wonderful time to explore just that."
"What?"
"Who you are."
He stared at her, and she turned the water off, wheeling him out of the shower. She pulled a towel down from the hook and wiped it expertly over his head and chest and quickly down his legs before settling it in his lap. She wheeled him back to his room, and grabbed pajamas from a cart on her way, setting them on his lap. She shut the door behind her, unfolding the shirt.
"Arms up."
He lifted them as high as he could, and she wrangled it over his head gently, making his head spin. "we're gonna get you up and onto the bed in one fluid motion. Stand on your good leg, and let me swing you to sit ok?" He swallowed the bile in his throat and the nausea that bubbled from the idea of the motion.
"Kaleera." He murmured. But he didn't hear her response. He spilled whatever his body managed to find onto the floor, retching so horribly loud he imagined everyone on the ship heard him. But it was all out of his hands now, his body throwing its contents onto the floor regardless of any protest from him. She helped him lean forward a bit, putting the trash container on the floor before him, and rubbed his back. Once he was finished a droid entered to clean the mess promptly, and she grabbed the towel from his lap, wiping his face. She couldn't have missed the redness that burned his cheeks, his inability to meet her gaze.
"Don't. You're perfectly alright." She assured him, squeezing his shoulder. "Do you feel ok to try to get into bed, or should I grab Kix and we can get you up there?"
"I'll try."
"Great." He took her hand and she pulled him up onto his feet and onto his bottom on the bed in one swift motion. Feeling so naked and exposed he flushed, but she helped him to lie back and had his pajama pants half on before he could even begin to process it. He lifted his bottom for her and she pulled the pants around his waist, followed by the blanket.
"Thank you." He choked. "For everything."
"It's my pleasure. Is there anything you want or need before I leave you?"
He shook his head.
"Get some sleep, then. I'll be here if you need me."

Thanks for reading! Please review/subscribe. Next time, Rex gets up, Kaleera gets angry