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"Captain- so sorry- Commander Rex, may I have a word?" Obi-Wan asked the newly appointed Commander. Everyone including Rex himself, was still getting used to the new title.
"Yes, General Kenobi." Rex said as he moved aside, out of the path of others.
"Commander, I'd like your assistance with a small matter." Obi-Wan said.
"A mission, sir?" Rex inquired.
"In a way, yes. I have requested your transfer for the time being and I am hoping you'll accept."
"What about Commander Cody?" Rex asked.
"Cody is off on another assignment at this moment and I think you are the right man for the job. Is that a problem, Commander?" Obi-Wan raised his brow.
"Of course not, General." Rex straighten a bit, hoping he didn't offend the Jedi with his question. "May I ask what the assignment is?" He became increasingly curious by the initial request.
"At this time, it's best to keep you in the dark. Once we are underway, I can provide more details."
"Understood. When do we depart?"
"Now." Obi-Wan said, turning back towards the hanger.
"Sir, yes, sir." Rex said, saluting the General before following him to the ship.
"Rex, set a course for these coordinates." Obi-Wan handle him a piece of paper with the details.
"We're going to Shili, sir?" Rex asked, puzzled by the reason for this destination.
"Yes. It's best we get going, Commander."
Rex nodded, punching in the numbers to the navi-computer. He had no idea what was waiting for him on Shili.
-•-•-•-
The trip was spent in relative silence. Rex has waited for additional details on the mission, but none were given. He hated to be kept in the dark but knew the Jedi had his reasons.
Setting down in the rural farmland, Rex finally broke the silence. "Where are we?" He asked looking at the surroundings.
"Do you see that structure in the distance? That is our destination. I am afraid I have lied to you; this is not an assignment for the Republic or Jedi... I have brought you here for reasons you will understand, and I promise all your questions will soon be answered." Seeing the confused look on his companion's face, Obi-Wan continued. "Go on. I will along in a moment." He said motioning towards the ramp leading off the ship.
Rex hesitantly complied and made his way out of the ship and across the field towards the farmhouse. As he approached, he could see a figure moving in the nearby garage and it wasn't until he was at the door did Rex recognize the man inside.
"General Skywalker." Rex stood in disbelief.
Anakin quickly turned upon hearing his former title. "Rex, what are you doing here? How did you find me?" Anakin was equally shocked to see his former clone captain.
"I brought him here." Obi-Wan's voice came from behind the soldier.
"Master? What's going on?" Anakin wasn't displeased by the arrival of the two men, on the contrary it was the first time he'd seen Rex since his abrupt departure from the Jedi, but it was unexpected none the less.
"I know that when you left the order it was sudden, and you did not see each other at the end. Rex wasn't given any information on your whereabouts or what even happened. I felt it would a welcomed surprise to finally get closure for you both considering you were close."
Anakin walked towards the clone, extending his hand. Rex returned the gesture. "It is good to see you, Rex." Anakin said with a smile.
"Glad you're still alive, sir."
Obi-Wan looked towards the main house before interrupting the reunion. "Is she inside?"
Anakin nodded.
"She who?" Rex asked, looking between the Jedi.
"You'll see... come on." Anakin said with a smirk, heading out of the garage. He led the two inside stopping at the common room. "Wait here." Anakin said before going deeper into the home.
After a minute, a female voice became audible. "Anakin, what do you mean we have guests... who's here?" Ahsoka's words drifted off when she saw her old friend standing across the room.
"Commander?" Rex couldn't believe his eyes.
"Rex!" Ahsoka immediately ran up to the clone, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in for a tight hug. It was a long-awaited reunion for them both.
"You-you're here... and you're pregnant?" Rex asked as they pulled away.
"I am." Ahsoka said resting her hands on her growing abdomen. "What's going on? How are you here?" She asked turning towards anyone who could give answers.
Obi-Wan was the first to speak. "I may have held a bit of the truth, but I assure you it was all for your own good."
"What are you talking about?" Ahsoka's glaze landed on the older Jedi.
"I did not tell any of you about my intentions to bring Rex here, instead I wanted to surprise you all, but I also hide this so that the council would not know. As far as they're concerned, Rex and I are following up on a location for a separatist outpost." Obi-Wan continued. "I have previously investigated this information and know it to be rumor nothing more... which is what I will report to the Republic once we return."
"Master, you're becoming crafty in your old age." Anakin laughed. "But thank you, it's good to see an old friend again."
The others nodded in agreement.
"If I may ask, how did you two, uh..." Rex asked as he looked towards Anakin and Ahsoka, his cheeks growing darker in embarrassment.
"It's okay, Rex." Ahsoka said trying to hold back her laughter. "Why don't we have a seat and we'll explain everything?"
Rex nodded, joining the couple and Obi-Wan in the seating area.
Anakin took a breath before speaking. "About a year ago, when everything happened on Scipio, I was working through some issues and at the time the only person I wanted to talk to was Ahsoka."
"He tracked me down." Ahsoka continued. "And I'll admit, I wasn't happy to see him at first... the scars left by the council were still fresh in my mind... they still are. But when Anakin came back into my life, I found happiness."
"And I soon realized I was never going to let her go again." Anakin extended his hand to Ahsoka's, giving a gentle, loving, smile. "I decided to leave the order when we found out she was pregnant. It's what I needed to do to keep my family safe, but in truth, it all happened so fast, there were many I didn't get to say goodbye to... you included." Anakin said looking towards his former Captain.
"Only Master Obi-Wan knew the truth." Ahsoka added.
"I'm glad you two found each other again. You now have something rare that I've only seen a handful of times." Rex's words came from the heart, he was happy to finally know the fate of his old friends.
"Thank you, Rex." Ahsoka said with a light smile. "It's been so long since we've all been together, how have you been?"
Knowing it had been a while and the changes that had occurred, Rex started by telling the couple of his recent promotions to Commander among the additional recent events during the war.
This prompted Anakin and Ahsoka to continue their story of their time on Shili and from then on, the group continued to swap stories between themselves, reminiscing of times that seemed like lifetimes ago. None realized the late hour until the sky was dark and they knew it was time to say goodbye.
"Thank you, Master. It was good to have this time together." Anakin said as Rex and Obi-Wan made their way through the door.
Ahsoka gave one last quick embrace to both before she herself bid farewell, hating to say goodbye.
"You both as always welcome here." Her words came softly as she tried to control her emotions.
"I'll be back, I promise." Rex said with a smile. "I'll want to meet the little one."
Anakin and Ahsoka watched as the Jedi and soldier made their way across the field into the nearby ship, only heading back in when it flew out of sight. The visit may have been unexpected, but it certainly was a welcome surprise... an encounter for closure but also opportunity for the future.