Okay wow, I'm a complete idiot and forgot to update the actual chapter 2 from two weeks ago on . Good job me. Anyway, I've posted both chapters 2 and 3 today.

Osterreicher97: Well, since I'm an idiot, you don't have to wait long.

Things cool down a bit in this chapter, a bit more setting up. And angst.

Rex snapped awake to the sound of a comm chirping. He jolted up from his slumped position in the pilot's chair. Damn. He had not intended to fall asleep. His shoulder still ached, but the bacta seemed to have done some good. His wrist comm was still going off.

Rex stared at it. Anyone would have been stupid to think he'd answer his comm while on the run. Then he noticed it wasn't his usual frequency. It was one he and Cody had made specifically to exchange information on their Generals. For missions.

He hesitated, finger hovering over the button. No one else knew the frequency, so no one would be looking for it to trace. And Cody was the only one who knew about it.

Rex swallowed and answered the comm.

"Rex?"

It was Cody. Rex heaved a sigh of relief.

"I'm here, Cody." He replied.

"What's your status?"

"Lying low for now. I think we're going to try and make it off-planet later." Rex glanced back towards the cots.

"That's a negative." Cody said. "They've tightened security, checking every ship leaving orbit. We're working on that, so hang tight."

They talked for a few minutes more. Cody filled Rex in on the happenings topside and assured him that everyone came out all right. It was a relief. No, it was a miracle that Rex was the only real casualty of the mission.

"How's Commander Tano?" Cody asked.

Rex again took a glance in her direction. He could barely make her out under the blankets.

"She had a rough time of it last night." Rex said carefully. "She was drugged. She's still sleeping it off, I think."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. We'll check in once we've got you a way off the planet."

"Thanks, vod."

"Just stay safe."

The comm shut off and Rex leaned back in the chair. He supposed he should be angry that Commander Offee had framed his commander, but he was just relieved that there was an explanation for everything. He just hoped General Skywalker could find her soon.

Rex didn't look forward to telling Ahsoka what her friend had done.

He got up and stretched. He'd slept in worse conditions, but his neck was still stiff. His shoulder was much better on closer inspection. The wound was mostly closed.

Rex moved down the ship to the bunks.

Commander Tano was still asleep, curled up in the same way Rex had seen her sleep on battlefields. The blankets rose and fell with her steady breathing. Her face was relaxed, a stark contrast to her expression the night before.

"Commander." He whispered.

She didn't stir. Rex resisted the urge to call her louder. She normally was easy to rouse, something to do with the Force. She clearly needed the sleep.

Kriff, she'd been through so much. He was glad to let her sleep a little longer. Without thinking he lifted his hand and rested it next to her face. Not touching. Never touching, not without her permission or a life or death situation.

Rex was suddenly exhausted. It was all too much, too many people to keep alive. The Generals, his men, his commander. He was keeping Ahsoka safe now, but he felt like he had left his men exposed.

He pressed his hand over his eyes to fight the tears of exhaustion. He allowed himself exactly a minute of weakness. Then he straightened up, plastered on his soldier's face, and strode to the front to strap on his armor. He had just finished getting the lower pieces on when he looked up through the view and felt his heart drop.

A thin, helmeted figure was standing amidst the other ships, shrouded in the haze that filled the undercity. It seemed to be studying their ship with an intensity that made Rex's heart pound. It cocked its head before reaching up and removing the helmet, revealing a pale, bald head.

Ventress?

Kriff kriff kriff!

Rex clutched the edge of the console until his knuckles turned white. Ventress was close enough for him to see her smirk. She knew exactly who was in the ship.

Rex whirled around and charged through the ship. He snatched up his blaster and ran down the opening runway. He would die before Ventress got her hands on his commander. Unfortunately, he couldn't see any other way this would turn out.

The assassin hadn't moved by the time Rex had gotten within a dozen yards of her.

"The guard dog." Ventress' cool voice rang out in the still air.

"Don't come any closer!" Rex snarled and trained his weapon on her.

She gave an exaggerated roll of her eyes.

"Please."

She flicked her hand and Rex's blaster went skidding across the ground.

"I'd rather not have to deal with your test tube loyalty today, little clone." She sounded bored.

Rex grit his teeth. He was the only thing standing between Ahsoka and this creature, and he was an unarmed, half armored, wounded clone.

"What do you want?" He spat.

"Want? Nothing." Ventress said. "I was just curious. I had heard your little commander had been captured. In fact, I heard it straight from Skywalker himself."

Rex caught his breath.

"You saw the General?"

"Yes, and he was rather rude about the whole thing, considering how helpful I was. He'd never have found out who had betrayed his apprentice if not for me."

"You helped him?" Rex's mind was whirling.

"I did. I helped her as well." Ventress inclined her head at the ship behind Rex. "I won't lie, the moment she was captured I gave her up as dead. Imagine my surprise when I felt her presence all the way down here."

Rex glanced back at the ship as well.

"She's projecting in her sleep." Ventress went on. "You may want to wake her before every force user on Coruscant is at your door."

"Projecting?"

Ventress rolled her eyes.

"Clones." She muttered. "Listen, I don't know what happened to your little Jedi, but it was bad enough for her to lose control of her mental shields. She's letting her Force signature blare out from her mind. Projecting while asleep is something untrained younglings do."

Rex swallowed. Was Ventress giving him advice?

"They drugged her." He said.

Ventress nodded.

"That would do it." She said. "I've heard the Republic has drugs they developed specifically for weakening a force user's control."

She turned around and started walking away.

"Well done on getting her out. Like I said, get her up before the entire Jedi Council is down here, or something worse."

Rex stared at her retreating back.

"Did you find us just to tell us that?" He burst out.

Ventress turned her head back towards him.

"I found you because I was curious." She said. "You should get back to her. I doubt she'd react well to waking up without her Captain."

The way Ventress spoke the words, dripping with condescension, made Rex shiver.

"What do you mean?" He hadn't meant to ask the words aloud.

Ventress laughed, a high, cold sound.

"Don't tell me you don't know!" She jeered. "Loyal, brave, and you just saved her life."

She turned around to face him.

"And really, you clones are quite the specimens."

Ventress's eyes traveled up Rex's body and he suddenly wished he had finished putting his armor on.

A wry smile twisted her lips.

"She's dreaming of you, you know."

Rex clenched his fists. He shouldn't be hearing this.

"Her faithful Captain Rex, always by her side."

These were the Commander's feelings, they were hers, he wasn't supposed to know.

"You were curious. Now you know what happened." Rex growled.

Those feelings were Ahsoka's and he didn't deserve them.

Ventress laughed again.

"I'll leave, Captain. Remind your commander of her promise."

Rex felt another jolt. What promise?

"And when you see dear Kenobi, tell him I said hello."

Rex gave his own dry laugh at that.

"I think you're more likely to see him before we do."

"Oh, I don't know about that. Tano's name will be cleared soon." Ventress said airily. "Skywalker's on the warpath. I dread to think what will happen to that little Jedi when he catches her."

Rex shivered at her words. She was right. When the General was angry, when anyone threatened Ahsoka, Senator Amidala, or even his men, he was one of the few things that truly frightened Rex.

This time Ventress didn't stop walking away. Rex kept his eyes on her until she disappeared into the smog. He had an odd feeling that she wouldn't give them up, but they should move just in case. He retrieved the blaster and hurried back into the ship.

Ahsoka was still sleeping. Rex hesitated before moving past her into the cockpit. She could sleep a little longer. Then they'd leave.

He pulled on the rest of his armor. He felt a lot better when it was all in place. He missed his pauldron and katas though. He somehow didn't feel as protected without them.

He gave himself a minute to dismiss and shove down Ventress' words about the Commander. They went with all the other thoughts he wasn't supposed to have. Thoughts that if they ever came to light, he'd be guilty of treason.

He sat down and listened to his stomach growl. He'd be fine, of course. He did hope Cody would find a way to get them a few rations before Rex was desperate enough to try the old bars he'd found.

It was another hour before he heard the Commander stir.

He got to his feet and moved to the bunks.

When she first opened her eyes they were wide and confused. Then she saw Rex and she relaxed.

"Good morning Commander." Rex said.

"Is it morning?" She peered out the window. "Where are we?"

"An old shipyard in the undercity." He told her. "How're you feeling?"

She grimaced.

"Better than last night."

"Do you know what they gave you?" He asked.

Rex could suddenly see a darkened room with a few, blazing bright lights. His arms were tied down, he couldn't move. A masked figure stood over him, wielding a syringe. It plunged the needle into his arm. A burning, sickening pain spread up the limb and into the rest of his body. A scream in a voice familiar, but not his own, burst from his lips. Through the pain he recognized a figure watching him, the leering expression so different from the one they normally wore. Chancellor Palpatine?

"Rex!" Ahsoka's voice cut through the vision and he was back with her on the ship. He had fallen to his knees and she had started to get up.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Did you-" He heaved a few breaths. "Did you mean to do that?"

"Do what?" She was confused.

He explained the scene between gasps. She was pale when he finished.

"That's what happened to me after my sentence." She said. "They took me away to that room. But I didn't mean to show you that."

"Did you mean to show me anything?" Rex asked.

Ahsoka shook her head.

"No. I just remembered it." Her eyes widened slightly. "That means-"

She didn't finish her sentence but General Skywalker's face flashed through his mind. The words force bond echoed through Rex's head. Whatever it was, she seemed to have one with the General.

"I think you did it again." He said, placing a hand to his head. "What's a force bond?"

Ahsoka didn't look at him.

"It's- we don't know for sure if that's what it is." She was almost babbling now. "I can ask Anakin or- but until then-"

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Rex got himself up and settled on the opposite bunk.

"I'll make sure it won't happen again." She muttered. "Kriff. You're not even Force sensitive."

"It might have something to do with what they gave you." Rex suggested. "While you were asleep we had, er, a visitor."

Ahsoka looked at him and he quickly explained Ventress' sudden appearance, Ahsoka's projecting, and the rumor about the drugs.

Ahsoka looked pensieve.

"That makes sense." She said. "From what they said, it sounded like they were experimenting on me."

Rex internally recoiled at the idea.

"What exactly happened?" He asked.

What had they done to her?

"Like I said, they took me there right away. I thought they were going to execute me immediately. You know, lethal injection."

Rex nodded. While he wasn't getting complete memories, there were flashes of emotions that weren't his.

"They strapped me down like you saw." She said. "Palpatine came in. He said something about if they were ready for the experiment. They injected whatever that was."

Rex got a sense of extreme pain again, a contrast to the matter-of-fact way she was speaking.

"It was like I was- stronger in the Force somehow." Ahsoka went on. "I could feel it in me, but I couldn't control it. I couldn't focus. There were only three people in the room but their minds were suddenly screaming. And I felt-"

Ahsoka looked into Rex's eyes.

"I think I felt something Dark."

Rex furrowed his brow.

"Like a Sith." He said.

Ahsoka nodded. She sat brooding for a moment.

"Anyway, they said something about a second, final treatment. I think they were going to kill me after that." Her hand went to one of her bracers and Rex frowned.

"That's what I thought you were there to do." She finished.

"Commander, is your arm all right?" Rex asked.

She looked up at him, surprised.

"Yeah, it's fine."

Any other situation he'd be pretty sure she'd be lying. Now, somehow, he was certain.

"Commander."

She looked down and undid her right bracer, the same arm that had been injected. She peeled it away to reveal a swollen, red and yellow lump, with black veins running from the center.

Rex caught his breath. He had the wild urge to rip his blacks top off to get to the bacta patch and give it to her. Rex looked sharply at her.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"It's much better than it was yesterday." She said with a weak smile.

"Better?"

"Listen, I wasn't exactly thinking straight." She countered. "Besides, Kix would have insisted on treating me right there."

She glanced at Rex again.

"That was Kix, right?"

He nodded absently, still staring at her arm.

"You said the swelling's gone down?" He asked her.

She nodded.

"I'll just have to ask Cody if he can get us some bacta." Rex said, dragging his hand down his face.

"Cody's in on this?"

Rex got a flash of surprise. He nodded again.

"Does it hurt?"

"No-"

But again, he could see the lie and gave her a look.

She narrowed her eyes.

"That's going to be annoying. Okay, fine. It hurts like a son-of-a-hutt. Happy?"

He got up and retrieved the medical pack.

"I used the only bacta patch. I'm sorry, sir." He admitted as he rifled through.

"Don't apologize." Ahsoka said. "You were just as hurt as I am."

Rex winced.

"No, sir." He muttered. "It's my job to put your well being above my own."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes.

"I'm not a commander anymore. I don't know if you've noticed, but you've deserted." She told him. "So I say we're the same."

Rex frowned as he settled down on the other bunk again. He didn't think he'd ever be able to put his needs on the same level as hers. He handed her some of the pain pills. She dry swallowed them with a wince.

"I'm pretty sure this is an antibacterial salve." Rex said, I

holding up a tube he'd found in the pack. "Though if you'd rather not risk it-"

"Give it." Ahsoka said.

He handed it over and she squeezed half the tube on her arm. She took the bandages he proffered and started to bind up the injection point.

"Have you heard from anyone?" She asked.

"Cody contacted me about an hour ago, before Ventress showed up." Rex informed her.

He paused. This was what he had been dreading.

"We've got news from General Skywalker."

Ahsoka raised an eyebrow.

"And?"

"He's pursuing Commander Offee. She was the one involved in the Temple bombing."

There was a soft thud as the bandage roll hit the floor. Rex braced himself as a new wave of emotions and memories hit him. He found he could push past them now he knew where they were coming from.

"Barriss?" Ahsoka croaked. "But that means-".

"I'm sorry, Commander." Rex said quietly.

Ahsoka bowed her head.

"Why?" She whispered. "We were friends, I trusted her!"

Rex shook his head.

"I don't know, sir."

Her feelings of betrayal and grief bubbled in the back of his mind. He needed to do something to distract himself from it. He picked up the roll of bandages from the floor.

"I'm going to finish bandaging your arm. Is that all right, Commander?" He asked.

She tilted her head forward in a tiny nod. He lifted her arm and began wrapping the bandage around the injured skin. As he finished he felt her memories ebb from his mind. She was getting control again.

"We should move." He said, standing. "We shouldn't stay anywhere for long."

She gave another small nod. He hesitated at her expression. Even though she'd controlled her emotions enough to not spill into his head, the distress he'd felt from her was etched in his mind.

Rex wanted to say something, anything, but what could be said? If he was honest, the last time he was betrayed he had personally gone to execute the traitor. Of course, he hadn't been the one to pull the trigger, but the sentiment had been there. He and his men were able to act against Krell; Ahsoka had no such solace.

"It'll be all right, Commander." He finally managed.

She continued to stare ahead. He grit his teeth and turned back to the controls.

There was a sudden flash of emotion from his commander. She didn't want him to go. He frowned. This definitely would take some getting used to.

"I'll just be in the cockpit, sir." He told her.

She looked up at him, surprised.

"I didn't mean to-" Her voice had taken a frustrated tone. "You're right, we do need to move."

She was trying to be brave. Rex didn't have her thoughts and emotions leaking into his head, but he found that he could go the other way. With a little bit of concentration he could probe into her head. He retreated almost immediately. It was an invasion of her privacy. Before he cut himself off he got an image of himself, holding her the night before.

Rex had sensed she had wanted something like that with her first flash of distress about Barriss. This was far more clear. Well, he wasn't about to gather her into his arms again. Last night had been an exception. It really hadn't been appropriate, but she had been in such a bad state that he had allowed it. He wasn't going to shove a crying and drugged Commander off of him just in the name of regs. Even right now, he could do something.

He found himself sitting on the bunk next to her. She glanced at him with a question in her eyes. He shrugged.

"We can wait a few more minutes."

He paused again and took a deep breath before he put his arm around her shoulders. He kept his eyes fixed on the bunk across. She relaxed a little. A sense of gratitude seeped into his mind. This time it felt purposeful, like she wanted to let him know.

After a few moments Ahsoka began to speak.

"I just can't believe Barriss would do something like this." She whispered.

Rex stared ahead.

"Did I ever tell you about Slick?" Rex said slowly.

He felt her shake her head.

"I've heard of him, but not from you."

"You probably haven't heard many of the details, then."

She shook her head again.

Ahsoka listened quietly as Rex told Slick's story.

"He said he did it for us." Rex finished. "That he loved his brothers and wanted to see them be free."

He trailed off. He had dismissed Slick's words at the time. He had thought it an excuse for whatever real reason Slick had for betraying them. Then Kadavo had happened and amongst the pain, horror, and humiliation, there had been a familiarity to the enslavement. Rex had finally understood Slick. Then he had shoved those feelings down so deep they should have never been able to come to light again. He had to. Otherwise he would have had to make a choice. But that choice would affect not just himself, but his brothers.

"I believe Slick truly thought what he was doing was right." Rex continued. "Maybe that's why Commander Offee did what she did. She thought she was doing what was right."

Ahsoka snorted.

"She blew up the temple, killing a bunch of people, and then tried to get me killed. How is that in any way right?"

Rex shrugged.

"How was giving us up to Ventress in any way right?"

Ahsoka leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I guess." She said. "It's still hard."

"I know." Rex replied. "You don't want to believe it."

She nodded.

"What happened to Slick in the end? Reconditioning?"

He almost flinched at the mention of the fate most clones considered worse than haran.

"No." Rex said. "He was executed."

It had been Cody who had received the orders to do it. Rex's ori'vod was quiet for a week after. For a moment Rex wondered if Slick had spoken up like Fives had done. Had he tried to convince Cody it was wrong?

"If Anakin catches her, they'll execute her." Ahsoka spoke as if just realizing something. "They might even try the same experiments they did on me."

A few wisps of fear and sick slipped from Ahsoka.

"If they have anything after the General's done with her."

It had been meant somewhat as a dark joke, but Rex knew the moment he said it it was too much.

Ahsoka tensed under his arm. They were both very familiar with how General Skywalker dealt with people who hurt those he cared about. Rex had been both horrified and somewhat touched in an odd way when the General had violently threatened a man who had shouted a slur at Rex.

"He won't kill her." Rex said in an attempt to assure his commander. "We need her to confess."

Ahsoka looked at him.

"No, but they'll kill her anyway."

Rex knew how she felt. He hadn't wanted Slick to die. He hadn't even wanted Dogma to be reconditioned.

"Commander, I'll be honest. If you'll pardon my Ryl, it's a piece of osik situation." He said. "But if I had to pick between the two, I would save your life over hers every time."

She frowned at that.

"We shouldn't have to decide which life has more worth."

"But we do right now." Rex asserted. "It comes down to this. She did something wrong. You didn't."

A ghost of a smile twitched Ahsoka's lips.

"I did break out of jail and steal a clone."

Rex smiled a little.

"With all due respect, sir, I stole you."

He thought she might laugh at that. Instead she closed her eyes and leaned again on his shoulder.

He let her sit there. He supposed she knew what she needed. And there was a part of him that drew comfort in the weight on his shoulder.

Finally she sat up with a sigh.

"I'm going to try and meditate now." She told him.

Rex nodded and stood.

"Let's see if we can find another hiding place."

He left her cross-legged on the bunk with her eyes closed. He felt better once they were up in the air. A ship moving through the traffic lanes was a lot less suspicious than it sitting somewhere for hours with no sign of anyone leaving it. He joined the other dingy crafts of the undercity on their day to day movements.

Rex found himself studying the new connection he had with Ahsoka. It was now a constant presence in the back of his mind. It felt like her. There was no other way to describe it. It was bright, but not harsh, and full of energy. His commander had a bit of herself planted in his mind. He wasn't feeling any emotions from her at the moment. The meditation must have been helping. He refused to try and probe her mind again. It would be wrong. It wasn't his place.

On a whim, he performed what he could call a tug on the connection.

"Do you need something?" Ahsoka's voice floated into the cockpit.

Rex jumped, swerving a little.

"Er- no sir. My apologies, sir."

"We can test this later." She said, a smile in her voice. "But not while I'm meditating, all right?"

"Of course, sir. Sorry again, sir."

Yup, we're going the force bonds route. I really love the concept and I will die on the hill that Rex and Ahsoka have one after the "I am one with the Force" scene in season 7. For clarification: Ahsoka is in love with Rex. She had a crush on him before, (because honestly what person who is attracted to men wouldn't) but after he saved her from her lowest moment, that crush has gotten a lot stronger. Rex is definitely still in the platonic zone right now. He loves Ahsoka, but not romantically. Yet.

Anyway, wear your masks, remember to review, and have a great couple of weeks!