MINDSPRING- So, you remember how I promised I would never do a double POV chapter again? Yeah, whoops ^^; This chapter, however, needed it. Otherwise it would have been blah. I just got done with school, so hopefully updates won't take as long as this one... Please enjoy, and don't forget to REVIEW! :) Kaythxbai.

-Captain Rex-

"I'm really scared, Rex... I just know they're going to find us. I just know it." Caitlin's face disappeared in her hands, and only the sound of her sobs hinted how upset she was over the flickering of the holorcron. I was sitting in my quarters, replaying and replaying the last conversation we had had, before...

Before she was taken.

I had been in the mess with Cody and a few other men when my personal holocron had started beeping like mad. Thinking it was another report, I had set it on the table and waited. When it had continued beeping, like a bomb, without a break, Cody had said hoarsely, in quiet disbelief, "The emergency signal." Then we knew it had finally happened.

I sighed and put my own face in my hands, mirroring her moves exactly. I didn't move when the holocron repeated what I had said: "Don't worry. Nothing will happen. And if it does, I'll be there. A-S-A-P."

The holocron flickered as Caitlin brought her head up, and giggled at my pathetic attempt to speak like she and her friends did. She wiped her eyes, and whispered, "I believe it." Her eyes drilled into my skull, as if she knew it wouldn't be possible. And accepted it. And cue the painful clenching of my stomach. Every single time I watched the review tape, it clenched upon itself and refused to relax for hours.

She shouldn't have believed it. I shouldn't have said it. Now she was sitting in some forsaken jail cell, waiting for me- and I couldn't leave. Because I was a clone.

Anger roared up in me like it never had before. I had to fight the urge to start punching the walls and destroying the room. My fists clenched together automatically and I gritted my teeth. Never, not even in battle, had I felt this strong an emotion. I was furious at myself, furious at the Kaminoans- hell, I was furious at the Jedi for not allowing me to be my own person.

I heard a knock and immediately straightened myself out. I turned to see Cody entering my room and flipping the lights on. I stood at attention, and waited for him to speak.

He sat down on the cot and said, "At ease, Rex." I relaxed and sat next to him, waiting for him to speak. It was nearly three in the morning, standard time, and I had thought I was the only one awake. Finally, Cody said, "Listen, Rex, you and a couple of the other guys have been acting weird lately. I don't know why, but it's messing everyone up. So I have no choice but to ask you to take a little vacation to your head back on straight. We need men who can focus, and that means you, Rex." He paused, grinned wickedly, and continued slyly, "I hear that that new planet- what is it called? Earth?- is pretty nice this time of year."

I smiled, and said quietly, "Thank you, Cody."

He stood and started walking to the door. He turned, and said, "I've already cleared it with the Jedi. Kind of. Ahsoka's going to cover up for you, and so will your brothers. The others are already down in the hanger. Oh, and try to make it quick. No distractions." He chuckled to himself and left.

I raised my eyebrows and shook my head, laughing as well. I stood, put on my armor (I had been in my skins) and picked up my gun from its spot on my table. I turned it over in my hands, trying to come up with a reasonably logical plan for getting Caitlin, Maureen, and Natalie off of their sick planet.

Unfortunately, I could think of nothing. I smiled grimly and put on my helmet. A General Skywalker plan it is, then.


~Caitlin~

Almost an entire week... six days... alone...

I sat on the wire cot that was supposed to serve as bed, with my elbows on my knees and my head between my legs. I had never felt so... beat before. Not just psychically, but emotionally and mentally as well. Blood dripped down my nose and onto the stone floor. I watched it explode and spread, creating a gruesome painting on the rubble florr. I sighed and closed my eyes, leaning back on the cot. Everywhere ached; my head, my arms, my legs, even my stomach.

It was freezing in this little cell with blank, bare walls and dim light coming from one tiny, cracked window. I had no idea where I was. As soon as Maureen had opened the door at the ranch and we heard Count Dooku's voice, I realized we only had seconds to warn the Republic. I grabbed the holoprojector out of my pocket and punched in the code for emergency.

And just in time, too. Not one second after I had finished, Maureen had flown from the door and landed unconscious on the floor. Ventress followed her, with her lightsabers out. She had choked both Nat and I until we lost consciousness, and now, here I am. All alone.

I leaned back and groaned, turning my head so the blood wouldn't drip into my mouth. I stared at the ceiling, closed my eyes, and escaped to my mind.

Oh, God. Rex...

Would he come? Could he come get us? I doubted it, because one of the very first things he had told me was that clones were 'made' to follow orders. But when I had told him my fears, he seemed so determined...

I mentally shook myself. This is not about me. This is about Earth, and the Republic. I can't let... feelings get in the way...

I brought my hands to face and started to cry, softly. I couldn't let the guards hear me, otherwise who knew what they'd do to me? The cot was shaking beneath me, so I sniffed and slowly sat back up.

The interrogators had already tried to talk, bribe, coerce, and beat information out of me, but I had- so far- steadfastly stood my ground. I didn't know how much longer I could last; I'm not a very strong person to begin with.

Tears mixed with blood, and as I tried to wipe the nasty mixture away from my face, the cell suddenly shook like an earthquake. The bars rattled and rocks and dust fell to the floor, settling in a big cloud. I froze, a hand to my face, and waited.

Thirty seconds later, it happened again. I stumbled my way over to the window and looked out through the cracks. The night was calm, clear, and still.

What the hell is going on?

The cell shook more violently this time, and continued for about two minutes before stopping. I stood still, not wanting to move for fear of triggering something else. I could hear the other inmates screeching down the hall, rattling the bars, and the guards trying to keep order. Several ran by my cell, with guns held in a ready position. They disappeared into the darkness, and I could only hear their footsteps pounding down the stone steps.

The other inmates were making such a racket I couldn't hear anything else for ten minutes. The guards on duty had given up with civil responses, and were now brandishing their guns as well. I sat down on my cot again, and waited.

Suddenly, I heard a fight break out from down the hall. I stayed still, though. I hated seeing people fight. The inmates were cheering wildly, shaking the bars, absorbing the cruelty with an almost lust-like passion.

I frowned and turned my head towards the wall. I heard pounding footsteps again, this time much closer to where I was. And I heard the calm voice of a clone trooper say to the guard, "If you don't want a bullet through your head, you had better open that cell, right now."

I whipped my head back around and stared as the clone and the guard rounded the corner, stepping into the light. My face broke into a huge smile, even though it hurt like crazy. My heart pounded like a drum as I stared at him, my knees almost buckling. Rex had his gun to the guard's head, and as she scrambled to get the key I stepped up to the gates. I couldn't see his face because of his helmet, but his head was turned towards me.

Finally the guard managed to unlock the cell. Rex shoved her in, grabbed my hand, and shut the gate behind me. I turned my head to see the guard looking out of the cell, eyes gleaming with anger. I gave her a little wave before Rex rounded a corner and she vanished from my sight.

Rex suddenly stopped. I skidded to a halt before I ran into his back. He looked around cautiously and said, "Alright, this is were we are meeting the others before we have to get out of here." He turned to face me, taking off his helmet. His eyes were fixed on me when he asked, "Are you all right?"

It was that sentence that practically broke me. I looked down, wringing my hands together, as I said, "I... I.. I really don't know." I squeezed my eyes shut and tried not to let the tears fall. Not in front of him! I begged. Please, we both need to focus! Yet without meaning to, I put my face in my hands.

I felt his arms envelop me, one going around my waist, the other around my shoulders. He leaned down towards my ear and whispered softly, "It's all right, I'm here. I told you I would be." I didn't say anything. Instead I threw my arms around his neck and I started to cry softly. His armor was uncomfortable, but I didn't care. It was Rex.

"You're too young for this. You shouldn't have to do this," he whispered again. I shook my head and whispered hoarsely, "I had too."

He walked me over to a chair and sat me down in it. He crouched in front of my, took my hands in his, and he let me cry.

He took something out of his utility pack and handed me a cloth. I took it and started to wipe my face clean. He smiled when I finally brought my eyes to his, and I laughed a little. Right now, I didn't care about anything. Except the fact that Rex and I were back together again.