Sixty Three
I had a dream the other night
About how we only get one life
Woke me up right after two
Stayed awake and stared at you
So I wouldn't lose my mind
They had spent the night together in her apartment. Rex and Gem had made love, quietly and without the urgency that usually accompanied their time together. He had been hesitant at first, worried about hurting the child, their child, but she had reassured him that it was perfectly normal to continue a sexual relationship throughout the pregnancy.
He would do anything for her.
He woke in the early hours, and after relieving himself in the refresher sat in the chair opposite the bed.
Cradled in amongst the sheet, she lay on her side. Rex mentally touched her, running his hand along the length of her back. Down one lithe leg and then back up the other.
He took in a long, slow breath.
He had been through a gambit of emotions over the past week. The Umbaran campaign had effected the usually stoic Captain. The countless meetings, the mountain of reports written, followed by his collapse from exhaustion.
He shook his head.
He was disappointed in himself and that his men had seen him vulnerable, pushed into the infirmary, unconscious on a medical gurney.
Then the news from the woman he loved most in the world; a child, and the elation of knowing he would soon become a father. She had unknowingly been the one thing that kept him going, and now he had another reason to stay alive.
To finish what the Jedi started.
"Hey," she said sleepily, covering herself with the sheet, "what are you doing?"
"Just looking."
"How long have you been awake?"
"Not long," he lied.
"You OK?"
"Yeah," he replied as he pulled himself out of the chair and walked over to the bed. In the darkened room he suddenly looked old, the shadows casting an unusual pattern across his face.
"I have four days until I have to report in to Kamino and regroup the 501st." He looked into her eyes and smiled. "I want to go to Oriis," he stated. "I want to see where you are from, your home, our future."
"I would like that, I would like that very much."
"You can get the time off then?"
Gem returned the smile. "Parliament returns next Fifth day. I'll contact Reed and see if he can transport us."
Rex smiled as he lowered himself back down on the bed.
He would do anything for her.
#
I had the week that came from hell
Hey yeah, I know that you could tell
But you're like the net under the ledge
When I go flying off the edge
You go flying off as well
"Ah, ah, ah, argh, Fek, oomph, oh, ah."
His body thrust in time with his breaths; intimidating, dominating.
Fives rolled off Tash, physically and emotionally spent. She had seen it in his eyes the second he arrived at her apartment. His jaw set tight, his eyes dark with anger, he had pushed his way past her as he had done a dozen times before.
She knew the signs, this was the old Fives.
But she had spent time working on reforming him. Slowly he had let down his guard, pulling down the walls the Republic had genetically built and let her in.
Something had happened to make him seek solace in the familiar.
Something so horrific, he could forget all their work and revert back to when they first met.
Angry, hurt and disappointed.
He didn't apologise, just pulled himself out of the bed and headed to the refresher. She quickly dressed and waited for him to come out.
Wearing nothing, he strode over to where his black body suit had been flung and began to systematically pull it on and snap his armour in place.
"Hey. You gonna talk?"
"What about?"
"Come on Fives," she implored.
"Don't start Tash," he said without looking at her.
"I think we should at least talk about how you acted tonight."
"What do you want?" He looked at her now. "One minute you want this the next that. Fek! I can't keep up!"
"I'm sorry Fives," her voice level, "we had a deal remember. Thirty and then we're out. 'We're' as in you and me?"
Fives stopped for a second and she saw the thought process flick across his face.
"Can't you at least talk about what happened?"
"Nothing happened. We took Umbara. Finish."
She had scratched the surface.
"That's not what I heard."
"That's all there is to it," his fingers frantically moving over his armour.
Clipping, snapping, fumbling.
Flailing.
She could see him unravel right in front of her eyes.
"Fives," she said softly, moving towards him slowly.
"THEY PUT ME IN FRONT OF A FEKKING FIRING SQUAD!"
There.
He had said it, it was out.
He trembled with rage, his anger palpable, his eyes searching hers until they flowed over and he broke. He grabbed her into him and together they dropped to the floor, the plush carpet muffling the sound of his body breaking into fitful sobs that until now, he had kept inside, locked away where no one could see them.
He may have been an ARC, but he was scared. Scared they would find out and reset everything he had been working towards.
He was less than perfect.
"Tash," he whispered, "oh Tash."
#
Last night I think I drank too much
Yeah, call it a temporary crutch
With broken words I tried to say
Honey don't you be afraid
If we got nothing, we got us
"Hey, take it easy with that," the Coruscanti slurred as he watched the clone down another Sonic Screwdriver, the cocktail with the highest amount of alcohol in it.
"Don't you worry about me," he smiled in return as he looked through heavy lidded eyes.
The businessman smiled as well, all the time nodding his head as Jesse pushed him playfully back against the well used cushions in the subdued lighting. He then crawled up the man's chest opening his shirt to reveal the white, plump skin and Jesse swallowed hard in revolt.
He was back down in the lower levels, the one's he used to frequent before he was found, before he lost his best friend.
Slowly he made his way back down to the floor and positioning himself on his knees in front of the rich man he carefully unbuttoned his elaborate clothes to reveal the item he had been paid handsomely to look after.
The alcohol made it easier. His inhibitions lost in a haze as his mouth worked it's magic, the man moaning with pleasure at the attention he was receiving.
Jesse was unaware of the commotion happening behind him. The arrival of the man in full armour not going unnoticed by others as they scattered into the anonymity of the dark.
With his helmet on and brandishing his deece, no one was prepared to question why the Coruscant Guard was in the establishment.
Vail saw him, his brown skin unmistakable amongst the sea of gold and red material.
Holstering his weapon he marched over to the two men in the shadows and grabbed his brothers shoulder and yanked him to his feet.
"What the Fek - ?" Jesse said at the invasion, looking at he stunned face of the man seated in front of him.
He quickly shrugged his shoulder free and swung a punch behind him, but it failed to make contact, his inebriation causing him to stumble.
"Get dressed trooper," the helmeted soldier barked.
"Vail?" Jess slurred.
"On the double," another order and Jesse, too bewildered to retaliate did as he was asked, pulled on his red fatigues quickly. The soldier stood over him the entire time, watching but not saying a word. When he was fully dressed, Jesse was pushed along the room until the fresh, cool air hit his face. Jesse didn't say a word, too drunk to care about where he was being taken or what punishment was headed his way.
Silently he was led up to the Republic barracks, stopping only once to vomit into a gutter. The Guard remained silent and Jess knew he was in deep osik. But instead of being taken to lock up he was escorted back to his own quarters.
Kix turned quickly as he was led in. Vail removed his helmet and looked at the medic.
"He needs a shot of antibiotics and B12," he stated matter of fact.
He didn't look at Jesse and the trooper, to ashamed, didn't bother to try, the floor swimming in front of him as he began to dry wretch on the cold linoleum.
"Jess," Kix began as he moved over to him.
"Don't, just don't. OK?"
Their eyes met and Kix nodded. "I'll be back in a minute."
And if we only die once
I wanna die
With you. [5]
[5] Something I Need. One Republic. Native. (2013)