After the war

The war had ended years ago, and Rex couldn't be more miserable. Order 66 had completely torn his life to shreds and left him swimming in confusion. Everything he had believed in, everything he had trusted in, had left him, starting with her. However, he could understand her motives. The Jedi council had chased her like a criminal and after that whole ordeal, she had wanted nothing to do with them. In his dreams, he could still see her form disappearing into the sunset, tears pouring down her otherwise expressionless face. She had walked past him with barely a glance, and never turned around. She never turned around.

Then the war ended, and Anakin Skywalker was murdered by Darth Vader. General Kenobi disappeared off the face of galaxy, along with Senator Amidala and the most loyal of the 501st. Cody had turned into a mindless slave to the new Empire, ruthlessly hunting down Jedi with Vader.

Rex had been transferred to a squad whose sole purpose was to travel between planets and ensure that the law of the Empire was being enforced and squashing and rebels that threatened to revolt.

He detested this job. As the years passed, more and more of these rebels were younglings that had escaped Operation Knightfall, and wanted to avenge their master and fellow youngling's deaths. Rex almost always over-shot if it came to a shootout, and never laid a hand on any of them. Now, Rex's squad was headed towards Tatooine, and planned to stay there for a few days.

The planet was nothing special. Rex expected to be thoroughly bored here. They landed in Mos Eisley, and Rex broke off from the group as soon as the reached the Imperial Stormtrooper base. Stormtrooper, that word disgusted him. Rex was CT-7567, a Clone, thank-you-very-much.

"Stupid Empire," Rex muttered as he stripped the perfect white armor off and slipped into the civvy clothes he had been secretly packing around for years. "Thinking they can just recycle and rename us and everything will be alright. Well, everything's not alright."

Rex had an ulterior motive for staying with the Empire this long. If it would be easier, he would have jumped ship ages ago. But as it is, he had a mission and needed the cover to help him fulfill it. However, in Mos Eisley, the locals hated stormtroopers and Rex needed to blend in.

Sneaking out was easy. As soon as he was under the cover of the dusty night, Rex pulled the hood of his black cloak up. He always checked the alleys first. Then the hotels other homes where a fugitive might stay the night. He combed the cantinas last.

Rex went out every night for weeks. He also searched during the day, but much more discreetly. If word should get back to Vader or the Emperor that he was doing this…

It was now a week until they were scheduled to leave, and Rex had no luck. Tonight he was going to check one last cantina before giving up. No, not give up. Just recollect myself and try again elsewhere.

The cantina was obnoxiously loud and messy, and smelt worse than the underworld of Coruscant. It was the perfect place for a fugitive from the Empire to hide. Rex slipped through the shadows to a secluded table in the back, pulling the cowl of his cloak low over his face. His blue eyes frantically jumped from face to face, searching out a certain spunky Troguta in the ocean of species.

He finally concluded that she wasn't here after an hour of searching. The night is still young, he comforted himself. It was still possible.

He waited and waited, never leaving his spot in the shadows but always watching, waiting. His gaze jumped to the door each time he heard them open, but he was disappointed each time. But finally, a vaguely familiar figure stepped into the dim lighting, and his breath caught as he recognized the long, flowing cloak that the Jedi were known to use. He watched the brown-cloaked figure gracefully dodge the crowd and settle at the bar, raising a gloved hand to get the bartender's attention. They murmured lowly for a moment, before the bartender nodded and moved off to get a drink. Rex watched as the figure glanced around nervously, as if it was disturbed by something. He shifted in his seat, about to get up and make himself known to the figure, but someone beat him to it.

It was a pale male Twi'lek. He was slinking slowly through the crowd, reaching for his gun as he did so. The cloaked figure was unaware of the danger impending behind them. Rex stood up hurriedly, reaching for his deecee as he started shoving through the crowd blocking him. The Twi'lek raised his gun, aimed…

Bang!

And yelled in pain as Rex shot his hand. He kicked the gun out of his hand and grabbed him in a headlock, bringing his mouth close to his lekku.

"Don't ever attempt to harm someone behind their back. Can you be anymore of a coward?" He hissed, and jerked his arms back quickly, snapping his neck.

He heard the silence behind him and looked up…

...Only to meet crystalline eyes shining with tears. Ahsoka still was half way across the cantina from him, but Rex held her gaze. Slowly he stood up and started walking to where she was still sitting. She watched his face the entire time, staying still until he was barely a foot from her.

"Rexter…" she whispered softly, almost unable to hear herself even. He gave a small half smile and grabbed her hand reassuringly before looking past her to the scowling bartenders.

"Sorry for the mess," His deep accented voice was like music to Ahsoka, and she closed her eyes, reveling in it as he talked to the other man. She tightened her grip on his hand and leaned into his embrace, unable to stop herself. She had been craving this closeness for years and years on end, and now it was so close…

Rex barely understood what he was saying to the bartender, something about the Empire taking care of the charges and putting their tab on them...instead, his senses were overwhelmed by the young woman leaning into him. Oh, how he had missed her, and now he had her back in his arms.

Finally he finished whatever arrangements he had been making and put his arm around the girl's petite figure, leading her out into the cool night. He kept a tight hold on her when she started trembling, and she grabbed onto the arm around her as if it was the only thing keeping her upright.

He finally found a hotel willing to room them this late at night, and again charged the Empire to pay for it. It seemed there were some perks to staying with them this long.

He quickly maneuvered around the more shady figures loitering in the lobby, gently clutching his trembling Togruta to his side. They stopped in front of the door Rex had rented, and he glanced around before unlocking it and ushering Ahsoka inside.

She dazedly listened, but turned back around and threw her arms around him as soon as he had shut and locked the door behind them.

"Rex," she gasped, her voice muffled against his cloak. "Rex I...you...the Order...Stormtrooper…" She clutched him tighter as sobs started wracking her body.

Rex wrapped his muscled arms around her, encasing her in his embrace. It seemed to calm her, but only marginally. He gently pulled the hood from her montrals and gently kissed her forehead. "Hush, Little'un. I'm here. I found you. You're safe. I found you…" He repeated the mantra, more to comfort himself than anything, but it helped her as well.

Once she was sure he wouldn't let go of her, Ahsoka pulled her arms from around his torso, and looked up into his hooded face. Her hands came up to cup his sharp cheekbones, a sure sign he hadn't been taking care of himself.

"You found me, Rexter," She whispered, almost in awe. "You did find me, and I swear I will never leave again."

He smiled, that crooked, half-smirk Ahsoka loved, and leaned down, pressing his forehead against hers. "Good, because I won't let you leave. I made a promise that I wouldn't let anything take you from me, and I intend to hold on to that promise for the rest of my sorry life. Besides," his smirk widened. "I do believe you owe me two dances now."

So there they danced to the beat of their own hearts, in a dilapidated hotel room in the middle of Mos Eisley, unknowing of what lied in the future, but they were ready for whatever might be thrown at them.

And there you go. Last chapter. I'm not too pleased with the ending...or the whole story in general...but whatever. Review if you feel like it, I could care less.