Mission Day Four: Part 3

"What the Force was that all about?" Ahsoka rounded on Rex the moment they gained their sanctuary several hours later and the door locked behind them. "I thought you were supposed to be keeping an eye out for our target, not fondling the merchandise!"

Blindsided by the sudden attack, Rex took a step back, ending up against the portal leading to the outside. "What? What are you-"

"Zidel, Rex," the Togrutan practically spat the name.

Pacing away several steps before turning back, her arms crossed over her chest, her whole posture screamed aggressive attack; a posture he well recognized. He had no trouble imagining her with lightsaber and shoto in hand, ready to eliminate the threat. Which appeared, at the moment, to be him. Rex was suddenly glad he could only picture, and not actually see, her blades. Some self preservation instinct warned him he had to tread carefully, though he didn't fully understand why. "Zidel."

"Yes, Zidel!"

Her skin was flushed with a vivid red color he'd never seen, different from the burnt sienna of her embarrassment, the chevrons on her montrals and lekku had turned deep green instead of their normal blue. With the information from his research session the night before still fresh in his mind, Rex had no trouble identifying the signal. Possessive; Ahsoka's feeling possessive. Of me. Put another way, he realized with a start, she was jealous. It wasn't a color he'd seen on her before. "I didn't ask for her to come to me."

"You didn't have to ask, Rex; you just have to be you." Shaking her head, her arms loosened but didn't fall. "You… could have at least told her no."

"I tried."

"You could have tried harder!"

"Short of shooting her-"

"Then you should have shot her!"

"I wasn't about to blow our cover just to push her away; I'm supposed to have an eye for women who can turn a profit. Turning her away seemed counter intuitive." Rex frowned, feeling she was being unreasonable. "While we're on the subject, what was the little show you put on for Quill?"

Ahsoka tilted her chin stubbornly. "You're not the only one who should get a chance to play."

Pushing off the door, Rex walked straight to her and grabbed her by the shoulders so she couldn't escape, the insult passing his lips on a harsh note as she grasped his wrists. "Di'kut." She made to struggle, but he shook her, once. "Do you have a wish to end up in his bed? To be his plaything?"

"Why not, you seemed content to be Zidel's!"

"Ahsoka-" Rex cut himself off.

Staring down into her eyes, he was close enough this time to see the hurt her jealous reaction had blinded him to.

He adjusted his grip, sliding one hand upwards, over the exposed skin on the tops of her shoulders and along the slender length of her neck, under her lekku. Her eyes closed as she tilted her head into his touch and Rex pulled her close. His free arm slipped behind her back as he tilted his head to hers, his voice a harsh, hurt murmur. "Watching you flirt with Quill…I wanted to grab you; to run out of there and never look back."

"I wanted the same," she admitted, her voice breaking as she wrapped her arms around his waist beneath his coat and clung tightly. "I couldn't… Zidel…watching you with her made me sick." He hugged her closer, his fingertips caressing the back of her neck, and a slightly raised vein there, even as her fingers dug into his waist. "I think she knows it."

Rex considered her statement for a moment, his fingers moving unconsciously upon her skin, Ahsoka pressing closer to his frame and leaning into his touch with a soft gasp. It took minute for him to sort through what had happened at the cantina. "She targeted me, didn't she?"

Ahsoka nodded, her voice catching in her throat. "I think so."

He closed his eyes and he tucked his head down to hers, cupping her jaw in his hand and pressing his lips to her forehead. "I didn't realize-" swallowing hard, he tightened his grip, "Ahsoka, I-"

"Don't, Rex. You didn't know; you couldn't-" she cut herself off, pulling back and searching his expression, their positions leaving them nearly nose to nose. "What happened, Rex? Why did you... didn't... you didn't like her did you?"

Rex reluctantly eased his grip on her, letting his hand slide from its position at her neck back to her shoulder. "No; I don't like her."

"But?"

"There was a moment I was tempted," he winced, "but only a moment; I wasn't thinking clearly."

"What do you mean?"

He wasn't sure where to begin.

"Rex? What did it feel like?"

"Wrong."

"Wrong how?"

Pulling away from her, Rex turned aside, suddenly irritated she was pushing this; it was bad enough he'd been unable to push Zidel away. He wasn't about to tell Ahsoka just how tempted he'd been despite the fact he'd found the dancer repulsive. "Let it go, Ahsoka."

"Rex..." she caught his elbow, refusing to let him retreat, her tone earnest. "There might be another reason you didn't push her away; what did it feel like?"

How could he describe it? It had been like walking through space; wanting to move quickly but unable to think clearly, as if suffering from a lack of oxygen. It felt like... it came to him in a flash. "It felt like when Ventress was in my head on Teth."

"Like she was trying to control you?"

Rex nodded.

"I thought so," Ahsoka shook her head, "Zeltrons can manipulate their pheromones, Rex; they can make you feel and think things you wouldn't normally. They can amplify desires or make themselves more appealing; there's a reason they're sought after as dancers. You can't blame yourself."

He didn't like the thought that he'd been unable to control his reaction because he'd been manipulated. "I do; I should have been able to resist it."

"That's my fault," Ahsoka's admission was guilty. "I didn't think she'd make a play for you."

"Has she been bothering you?"

"She's made some nasty comments but I didn't think she'd go after you this fast."

"You suspected she would?"

"In a few days; I was going to tell you about her tonight."

Rex shook his head. "What's she said?"

"What I would figure is the usual talk for a place like The Catalyst," Ahsoka sighed and grimaced. "She's not happy about having me steal her spotlight. I just never figured she'd take it out on you."

"I should have expected it."

"Why? How? You were no better prepared for this mission than I was, Rex; we're so far beyond what either of us is trained for, maybe we should just call it quits."

"No," he couldn't believe the word as it slipped past his lips, but Rex realized in that moment he meant it. To stop now would mean everything he'd endured, everything they'd endured, was for naught. "We've come too far to abandon this mission now. We'll just have to become better informed; anything else I should know about your Zeltron rival?"

"She's hardly a rival."

He shot her a look and she flushed.

"Sorry; Zeltrons are supposed to be able to influence physical reactions and implant suggestions."

"My momentary lapse of good sense could have been her idea."

"Maybe," with a shrug, Ahsoka conveyed the end of her knowledge, and Rex could see she was still hurt by his actions despite the fact she was trying to assure him it wasn't his fault.

"Ahsoka," he turned back to face her fully, not quite sure what he could say that would fix this and not make them worse. Telling her he wanted her, and only her, was a bad idea; she might know it, but it would open doors that would be difficult to close later. Gazing into her eyes, he opened his mouth to continue, but couldn't find the words.

She saved him, reaching up to touch his cheek with cool fingers, a soft, understanding smile crossing her lips. "I know, Rex," she assured him quietly. "You don't have to say anything. This is new to me too"

Covering her hand with his, Rex squeezed her fingers gratefully. They stood, looking at each other, for several long moments before Ahsoka blushed faintly and stepped away, suddenly unable to meet his gaze.

His brow furrowed as she tried to take her hand away, but he didn't let her go. "What is it?"

"All of this took my mind off of last night and… and you biting me."

Heat flashed through him, his fingers tightening unconsciously on hers. He hadn't forgotten, or even been distracted enough to forget about it; he could still taste her on his tongue. For everything they'd done since then, he wondered if he'd ever taste anything not her again.

The change of topic was distracting and unbalancing, the tension that had been simmering between them, tempered and leashed, suddenly roaring to the forefront with a vengeance.

Ahsoka saw the flare within Rex's eyes as they deepened to amber with her statement and, despite the churning in her gut, the little spark show that seemed to be sizzling through her veins, she firmly kept her mind on the task before her. She owed him an apology for the night before.

"I didn't understand what was happening yesterday, Rex, and while that's no excuse, I shouldn't have taken that fear out on you."

"I shouldn't have bitten you."

She didn't agree; for all the mental anguish, reflection upon the sequence of events had led her to the conclusion that he couldn't have made a more effective show of having her cooperation even if they'd planned one in advance. "If you hadn't, what would have happened?"

"We can't know."

"No, but we do know that by doing so, you decimated the arguments of the men who wished to… to take me," she swallowed hard on the sentence. "I was ungrateful for the rescue and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't understand what was happening and that I reacted the way I did after the fact. I'm really sorry I took it out on you when you looked it up."

"I needed to know."

"So did I," she countered, trying to ignore the almost electric feel of his fingers on hers, "I just… I was embarrassed, Rex. I should have known before you did." They looked at one another for long moments before she realized something as she searched his gaze. "You're not sorry you did, are you?"

"No."

"Rex, I don't want to you to misunderstand, I-"

She wasn't given a chance to finish as he stepped closer, his free hand coming up with hesitant, almost jerky moves, to cup her face; she could feel him shaking. Could see it in his eyes he was fighting with himself and the attraction between them, even as his thumb slowly, with aching gentleness, stroked her cheek.

"There's nothing to misunderstand, Ahsoka," his assurance was rough, his voice husky, "You reacted to me as a dominant female reacts to the welcome advances of a dominant male."

Ahsoka sucked in a breath; she wouldn't have put it in quite those terms, but that was the bare bones of everything they'd read. "I-"

"It's why you bit me; to mark your mate."

She swallowed hard, unable to look away from the sparkling amber irises which held her captive; unable to find the words to refute his statements. Rex understood her reaction on an intellectual level, but she was certain he couldn't understand the riot of conflicting emotions and reactions his touch was setting off within her body. His head dipped towards hers, and Ahsoka's breath caught as she realized his intent.

Rex is going to kiss me.

There were so many reasons why it was a bad idea. So many reasons why they couldn't indulge in this attraction between them, why they needed to fight it; why they had to stay focused. So many reasons... and all she wanted was one more kiss. The feel of his lips on hers; of being in his arms this time - of pressing herself against his lean length and drawing strength and comfort from his embrace.

She needed this; needed to know she was wanted, that he didn't hold her behavior against her. Needed to know he didn't find her reactions to his behavior repulsive or unnatural.

His lips brushed hers and her eyelids fluttered shut, his name a breath on her lips as she eased closer. Her brow furrowed as Rex brushed his mouth across hers once more but didn't let her step as close as she wished. He held her at bay, a hand span from his body, able to sense his heat, his nearness, but not touch it.

The way his lips brushed hers a third time was still exploratory, hesitant, as if he wasn't sure the touch would be welcome, and Ahsoka's fingers gripped his tightly. "Rex... please. Kiss me, ki-"

He swallowed her plea as she was suddenly flush against him, his mouth slightly parted over hers, his head tilted to the side to ensure their lips met properly. Her mouth opened under his with a whimper as the fingers on her jaw slid backwards and down to cup her neck, once more against the vulnerable veins beneath her lekku.

The kiss was over almost as soon as it had begun, Rex tearing his lips away even as he withdrew. It made her stumble as she caught herself from the unexpected loss of his support.

"We can't, Ahsoka," his voice was hoarse; pained.

One look at him, despite the instinctive hurt from his withdrawal, and Ahsoka knew he was right. She found her voice with difficulty, wrapping her arms around her own middle, lest she reach for him. "I know. The mission-"

Rex straightened. "The mission," he agreed, suddenly all business. "My apologies, Commander, for the inappropriate advance."

Ahsoka flinched with his formal apology. "Then you'll have to accept mine, Captain; I initiated the contact." He looked about to protest, as hurt as she was by the wording chosen, and Ahsoka shook her head, holding up one hand. "Don't, Rex, please? This whole mission has been a series of events neither you nor I are familiar with. We've both said and done some thing that we wouldn't normally have and," she flushed, "I think certain reactions can only be expected living together in such close quarters. Let's just... chalk it up to experience, okay?"

"Experience."

She nodded.

"Ahsoka," he sighed, lifting one hand to rub the back of his neck and she felt her own tingle in response. The callouses on his hands felt amazing against her skin. "Experience isn't always a good thing."

"It's not always what we want either," she agreed, looking away lest he detect her lie; she did want this experience with him, but not at the cost of their friendship, "but we get it anyway." He was thoughtfully silent and she dared another look his way. "You taught me that, Rex; that experiences, good or bad, help shape who we are."

They stared at one another for a long moment before his hand dropped and he nodded towards the bedroom. "Get some shut eye, Ahsoka; it's been a long day."

She turned to go, feeling like she should say something more, something to reassure him that she wasn't angry, but the words didn't come until she was at the doorway to the bedroom. "Rex?"

"Yes?"

Turning, she looked at him directly, a smile curving her lips. "I wanted that kiss as much as you did." Without giving him a chance to respond, she slipped into the bedroom - but didn't close the door behind her.

Several hours later, Rex sat with his head in his hands as Ahsoka slept in the bed in the next room, long having given up his holonet searches for lack of focus. Unable to ignore the whimpering noises she made, which sounded like his name, he felt each one like a punch to the gut.

She's sleeping; dreaming, he told himself, shuddering with the invisible caress as she moaned audibly. It was impossible not to consider that she'd likely make the same sound if he put his mouth to her breast, or the warmth of her lekku the way he longed to. Or perhaps she'd moan if he ran his hands down her sides possessively, caressing her curves with deliberate intent before grasping her hips and-

A soft, pained groan escaped him, his too tight leather pants growing impossibly more so.

He was honor bound to protect her from everything this mission; from the thugs and brutes that would try and harm her, to the other dancers who didn't appreciate the new girl in their midst, to the men and male creatures who wanted to 'hire' her talents for the night.

It wasn't reassuring that he including himself in that group.

It hadn't shamed him to know he desired her, had for some time, but this mission was placing those desires in the forefront. They were constantly under his skin and growing. Every glimpse of her eyes or tilt of her face with the impish, excited expression she revealed only to him upon gaining their sanctuary, twisted him further in knots.

Her poise and control thus far humbled, as much as it infuriated, him. Nothing, except the amorous intent of another dancer towards him, had fazed her. While he knew that she knew this wasn't a game, he couldn't help but feel as if she was enjoying her part a little too much. Being the tease; dancing to inflame the men.

To inflame him.

He could see the knowledge in her eyes whenever they met his, playing their roles of Master and Slave to fulfillment. She was his willing pet, taunting him with her natural athletic ability and physical beauty made all the more potent by the spirit that had ensnared him for so long. Rex wanted Ahsoka; burned for her with an ache that was physically visceral and emotionally devastating. He desired her in the basest way a man could and more.

He winced as she made a little breathless noise, a whimper, audibly shifting in her sleep and then cried out. It drew him around in alarm, thinking she'd hurt herself. He shot to his feet and was at the bedroom door with three strides.

Looking in, he searched for the cause of her cry.

All was quiet as she rolled, her legs shifting restlessly together under the covers, the blanket having dipped to reveal the partially covered curves of one shoulder and breast. His eyes traced the lines of her body unwittingly, filing them away in the back of his mind like every other piece of data he'd ever seen. For when he didn't know; maybe when he was back on the Resolute, back to being her Captain, back to being her friend and not her protector. Back to being a man who no longer had the right or privilege to watch her sleep.

"Rex..."

A shudder ripped through him as she clearly said his name, her face shadowed but not hidden, visibly still asleep; his fingers flexed, tightening on the door jamb. Her hands moved restlessly in her slumber, sliding down her body, one on top of the blanket, one underneath, touching herself in the places he longed to touch her.

One cupped her breast, lifting the globe trapped beneath the fabric in a form of offering. The other drifted lower, a visible bump under the covers as it crossed her stomach and down over her hip, curling upwards as her wrist flexed. She gasped as her neck arched, her head tilting backwards. That instinctive sign of submission as alluring as it was frustrating in her unconscious state, his name once again on her lips.

A weaker man would have given in. A less honorable man would have accepted that invitation and joined her on that bed, taking what she offered. He would have kissed her to wakefulness and fulfilled both of their frustrated desires.

Rex, to his damnation, was an honorable man; he was a strong man. Even as that strength waned, he somehow found the willpower to resist.

He turned away, closing the door and leaning his forehead against the portal. I should never have kissed her.

It had been a mistake; a miscalculation in judgment which had come about because of the events between them thus far and led to this moment.

To his desire to be on the other side of the portal; to be in the bed with her. Clearly, he could feel the satin of her skin in his hands, the weight of her pressing him down to the bed as she had their first night, where he'd found her upon waking. He could feel the ghost of her touch as she 'practiced' on him, driving him to madness.

The mission; think about the mission. Find the Seppie spy; get the information. Don't lose sight of why we're here; of why we're doing this. We need to get that data crystal and get out without being detected or this will all have been for nothing.

He silently prayed for the day to pass quickly - before he lost sight of their goals and purpose. Before he lost sight of the fact that he and Ahsoka were friends who could never be more, and gave into the need racing through his veins.

Somehow, he found the strength to walk away and return to the holo terminal to resume his search, but his mind was still mostly beyond the bedroom door with the sleeping teenager.

Unfortunately for him, he would never be able to view Ahsoka the same after this mission; he only hoped he could prevent her from knowing just how badly he desired her for her... and knowing that he knew she dreamed of him.