Hey everyone! School is officially over for me! (minus one class this afternoon but that's nothing)

RyanSquad: Honestly same.

We're going some fluff route after all the whump and angst the last few chapters were. Some clone cookies if you will, as there is some substance to what's happening.

Mando'a translations at the end!

"Commander!" Ahsoka recognized Vaughn's voice and it became a chorus filling the barracks.

"Commander Tano!"

"It's the Commander!"

"She's back!"

Ahsoka was swarmed with a mass of blue and white armor, sparkling brown eyes, and mostly identical grins. Gloved hands reached out and Ahsoka tried to grasp them all. She was laughing and crying at the same time.

She was home.

Fives fought to the front, grabbed her around the waist and lifted her up. Ahsoka laughed harder, pushing against his shoulders. He laughed too, giving them a spin.

"It's good to have you back, Commander!" Fives said.

He set her down and embraced her normally.

"Vor entye." She said the traditional Mandalorian thanks and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

He squeezed her tighter.

"Ne'entye." He muttered back.

She blinked at the response. No debt.

Finally he let go, but he'd set the precedent. Every clone wanted a hug now. Ahsoka was glad to oblige them. And for Kix, Jesse, and Tup, she had an extra squeeze, a whispered 'vor entye', and a kiss on the cheek.

How odd it was that she had always felt more at home here than in the Jedi temple. Maybe she was never meant to be a Jedi.

She stayed that night in the barracks, though she didn't have much choice. Before she could insist that she was fine just taking one of the empty beds, a group consisting of Jump-up, Kickback, Whip, Rud, and Spin managed to break one of the bunks in half. They shoved the bottom piece into Rex's office, where it barely fit.

Ahsoka couldn't say no after their heartfelt, if over eager, display of wanting to help.

She didn't spend most of the night there anyway. The men wanted to hear of her and Rex's escapades. She told them everything she could, though she merely named Cut as the farmer that had helped Rex so long ago. They were sufficiently horrified at her description of what happened to her with every fit.

"And then Rex had the gall to lie to me about what was happening." Ahsoka told her audience.

"Well, he was right to." Kix piped up. "Since, you know, your heart kriffing stopped."

The room burst into noise and confusion at that. It took a while to calm everyone down, especially a younger trooper, Quirk, who had burst into tears at the news.

They all stared at her with solemn eyes as she told them about her conversation with the Jedi Council.

"You're not a Jedi anymore?" Kix finally asked.

"No." Ahsoka told him. "I wasn't going to stick around after they were going to let me die."

"But what are you still doing here?" Fives exploded. "You can get out! You don't have to be in this kriffing war anymore!"

He stood up and made as if to grab her arm and drag her up.

"Fives!" Ahsoka protested. "Where would I go if I didn't stay?"

"Somewhere where you're not almost dying every other day." Fives shot back. "You're a kid, Commander. You should have never been in the war in the first place."

"And you aren't?" Ahsoka retorted. "What are you, Fives, twelve?"

"We were made for this." Fives said. "And it's not like we have much of a choice."

"I do, and I choose to stay with you." Ahsoka said. "If I leave, more of you will die."

Fives blinked.

"You're staying for us?" He asked.

Murmurs fluttered through the crowd.

"What did you think I was staying for?" Ahsoka asked.

"It's the only life you've known." Fives said, still looking at her in amazement. "I thought- you just didn't know what else to do."

Ahsoka put a hand on his shoulder.

"I can't leave you. Not after what you've done for me." She said. "You're my family. All of you."

Fives continued to stare at her, joined by most of the others.

"Well, in that case, you need to get yourself a tattoo!" Jesse suddenly called.

Several others cheered in agreement.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Ahsoka asked.

"We have been asking General Skywalker for months." Jesse said. "Nearly every trooper in the 501st has one. Even Rex. But the General was always saying 'she's a Jedi, we don't get tattoos unless it has cultural significance.'"

He spoke in a mocking but fairly accurate impression of Anakin. Ahsoka laughed.

"If he doesn't have a tattoo of Senator Amidala on his right sheb, I'll get it myself." Fives muttered.

"But you're not a Jedi any more!" Jesse said brightly. "And you're one of us!"

Ahsoka raised an eyebrow at him, considering. She had known it was a bit of a rite of passage to get one's first tattoo in the 501st. She had no idea the boys had wanted to include her.

"Okay." She said.

The men cheered and laughed.

"But where are we gonna go that's open this late?" She asked. "Especially one that serves clones?"

"Don't worry about that." Fives said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "There's one right next to 79's."

"I'm sure you're all very sober when you go." Ahsoka said with a smirk.

"You ever wonder why Jesse has a GAR symbol on his face?" Fives replied.

"Shut up, Fives." Jesse said with an eyeroll. "I was sober when I got this."

"See, I tell people you were drunk because you don't look insane that way." Fives said with a playful push of his brother.

More clones laughed.

"You are not all coming." Ahsoka told them to a chorus of complaints.

So Ahsoka left Appo in charge and ended up traipsing across Coruscant with only five troopers. Fives and Jesse, along with the three new 501st troopers: Deck, Shiv, and the newly named Aran. Jesse had taken the three under his wing and had encouraged them to come get tattoos as well. Ahsoka was glad to welcome them along. They'd done everything they could to save Rex.

"What'll you have?" The heavily inked Duros asked as Ahsoka sat down in the chair. The tattoo place was surprisingly nice. It was clean and well lit. Everywhere holos flickered with pictures of all sorts of beings and their tattoos. Not a few were of clones. Music with a heavy beat played in the background.

Ahsoka glanced at Fives and Jesse who grinned encouragingly.

"I want two." She said. "One here," She put her hand on her right shoulder. "With the numbers '501'. And one here," She traced the area on her forearm where she'd been injected.

"Same design?" The Duros, apparently named Rotu, asked.

Ahsoka shook her head.

"Know what jaig eyes are?" She asked.

Fives shot her a look, though Jesse was too busy looking through tattoo catalogues with the newbies to notice. Rotu raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I know 'em." He said. "Mandalorians will come in and ask for 'em. Actually gave 'em to a blonde trooper a while back."

Ahsoka nodded. She'd seen Rex's shoulder tattoo when he was dressed in Cut's sleeveless clothing.

"I want the eyes in blue, numbers in white." She said.

"Got it." Rotu said. "Let's get started."

He pulled out his tools, including a blaster shaped device ending in a large needle. Ahsoka felt a twinge of anxiety.

"You all right?" Rotu asked.

"Not the biggest fan of needles." Ahsoka admitted.

"It won't take long." Rotu promised.

He sketched out a few versions of her requests. Ahsoka selected the standard, blocky font for the 501st, and tried to choose the eyes that looked most like Rex's.

Ahsoka winced as the needle touched her skin for the first time. It pricked and stung, but she quickly became used to it as Rotu worked. She grinned at Deck, who was in the other chair having a lanky Rodian female work on him.

He blinked at her, then glanced at Jesse as if to ask what to do. Jesse rolled his eyes.

"You can smile, vod." He said. "You'll find the 501st is a lot more relaxed than the Guard."

"I don't bite." Ahsoka said, then grinned wider, showing off her pointed canines. Deck's eyes widened slightly. Jesse and Fives laughed.

"Begging your pardon, ma'am," Deck said. "But I'm still not quite sure we're 501st material. We're grateful to General Skywalker for transferring us, but the 501st is the best."

"You don't think you're cut out for the job?" Ahsoka asked.

Deck shook his head.

"To use our sargeant's description of us, we're screw-ups-"

"Shut up, Deck." Shiv suddenly growled. "You know that Sarge was talking about me."

Ahsoka gave the waiting trooper a questioning look.

"Deck here is a great soldier." Shiv said. "He just had the shabla luck to be my batchmate."

"Language!" Deck said.

"Commander Tano can swear in three and a half different languages." Fives scoffed. "And she will."

Deck and Aran looked horrified, while Shiv looked fairly impressed.

"Point is," Shiv went on. "This di'kut keeps taking the blame for my mistakes. He refuses to let us be separated and makes enough small mistakes to ensure it. And this idiot-"

Shiv gestured to Aran who ducked his head.

"Somehow thinks we're both the greatest thing since uj cake and does the same thing!" Shiv said and folded his arms. "So if anyone's not fit for the 501st, it's me."

Ahsoka looked at him.

"Can you shoot straight?" She asked.

Shiv looked offended.

"Of course!"

"Do you care about your brothers?"

"What sane clone doesn't?"

"Can you follow orders?"

Shiv immediately glanced to the side.

"If they're not shabla stupid." He muttered. "Which is only sometimes."

Ahsoka grinned.

"You'll find that Fives thinks the same. I think you three will fit in just fine."

Shiv blinked at her, while Aran flushed. Deck merely straightened in his chair.

"We'll do our best, ma'am." Deck said.

"Done." Rotu said, leaning back. "Who's next?"

Shiv claimed the chair next, and began describing a harsh, dagger-like pattern he wanted on his face.

Fives and Jesse crowded around Ahsoka, Aran peeping from behind.

"Interesting choice, Commander." Jesse said, examining the jaig eyes.

"Who gave you jaig eyes?" Aran piped up. "What did you do to earn them?"

"I didn't earn them." Ahsoka said. "Captain Rex did. I'm just borrowing his."

"And just rubbing it in that Rex is her favorite." Fives said.

Ahsoka gave him a sharp look.

"I'm just saying, Commander. I got you out too and you didn't get a five inked on somewhere." Fives said, a teasing gleam in his eye.

"Yes I did!" Ahsoka said, gesturing to her shoulder.

Jesse snorted.

"You know what I mean." Fives said. "I'm not blaming you. You two have always been close and now that he's kissed you-"

Aran's jaw dropped. Ahsoka smacked Fives' arm.

"He was giving me mouth to mouth resuscitation!" Ahsoka said.

"If that's what you want to call it." Fives said with a wink.

"Oh, shut up." Ahsoka said. "Aran, don't ever listen to him, okay?"

It took just a little while longer at the tattoo place. Aran wanted a simple design that didn't take too much time. The shy younger trooper had surprised them with the outline of a shield on his face. Deck had gotten a subtler tattoo, one of a serpent geometrically twisting around his bicep.

"Thanks Rotu, Jils." Fives said as he ushered everyone out. "See you next time I'm blackout drunk."

"Don't we pay?" Ahsoka asked.

"Nah. The Republic pays that place a flat monthly fee to take care of all the GAR tattoo needs." Fives said. "It's to make sure we don't get ourselves into trouble with shadier places."

Ahsoka nodded and went to touch her new jaig eyes.

"Don't." Fives said. "It's best you touch it as little as possible before it heals."

"Right." Ahsoka said, though she kept her fingers hovering over it.

"He'll be all right, Commander." Jesse said quietly.

Ahsoka thought of Rex's quiet distress, still present in the back of her mind.

"I hope so." She said.

The troops were in fairly good spirits the next morning, despite having not slept half the night. Fives and Jesse helped Ahsoka do Rex's job of getting everyone up and prepared for deployment. Luckily, the 501st knew the procedure, and it went smoothly. The barracks were empty within hours, leaving Ahsoka, Jesse and Fives doing last minute checks. Ahsoka had found Rex's armor and was thinking of how to get it to him when a voice spoke.

"Commander Tano." The voice was familiar, but different to the cadence of the clones closest to her.

Ahsoka turned, holding Rex's helmet, to see Commander Fox standing at the far end of the barracks. Fives and Jesse were immediately at Ahsoka's side, glaring at Fox.

"What do you want, Fox?" Fives snapped.

Fox didn't react to the aggression.

"I would like to speak to Commander Tano." He said.

"What makes you think she wants to talk to you?" Jesse growled.

"Jesse, Fives." Ahsoka said. "It's okay."

"Commander, you don't have to talk to him." Fives spat. "After everything he's done."

Fox stood quietly in face of Fives and Jesse's hostility.

"I don't mind talking to him." Ahsoka insisted. "You two go ahead and catch up with the rest of the men."

They both looked down at her.

"Commander-" Jesse started.

"I wasn't asking." Ahsoka said.

Fives and Jesse shared a glance before slowly making their way out. They both shot Fox dirty looks as they passed.

There was a moment of silence where Fox and Ahsoka stared at each other.

"You can take your helmet off, Fox." Ahsoka prompted.

Fox hesitated before slowly lifting his bucket and holding it gingerly under his arm. He was, as the clones called it, 'standard issue:' no changes to the regulation haircut and no visible tattoos. Nothing to differentiate himself from his brothers, except what looked like a burn scar spattered across his face and the greying of his temples. No, there was one other thing. Most clones had very distinct smile lines. Even Rex, one of the more stoic clones Ahsoka knew, wore them. Fox had only the barest trace. Did this man ever smile?

"I came to apologize, Commander Tano." Fox said.

"You did already." Ahsoka said, confused.

"That was for the Guard." Fox said. "This is- a personal apology."

He raised his hand as Ahsoka attempted to speak.

"I apologize for believing you would harm my men." He said. "I apologize for hindering your escape."

He stared at a spot above Ahsoka's head as he spoke.

"I apologize for what happened to Captain Rex." He said.

"That wasn't-" Ahsoka began.

"I played a part." Fox interrupted. "And I apologize."

A moment passed.

"I forgive you." Ahsoka said.

Fox didn't react save for him finally meeting her eyes. Something told her that this wasn't the reaction he was expecting.

"Thank you." He finally said.

Ahsoka nodded. She expected him to pull his helmet on and march away. Instead Fox looked at her, stiff and awkward.

"Is there anything else?" Ahsoka prompted.

"Your ARC trooper, Fives, said something when we had him in for interrogation." Fox said hesitantly.

Ahsoka raised an eyebrow. Fox fiddled with his helmet before continuing.

"He asked me if I ever did anything because it was right and not because it was ordered." He said. "I thought he was making excuses. Orders are what's right."

He spoke haltingly, as if he'd never voiced thoughts like this before. Ahsoka wondered if the man had anyone to talk to.

"But you were innocent. My orders were wrong." Fox continued.

He trailed off. Ahsoka felt a pang of sympathy for the clone. His entire life was built on following orders. Now he found that those orders were fallible.

"Fox, did you ever hear what happened on Umbara?" Ahsoka asked.

Fox's brow furrowed slightly.

"I heard rumors. I only know for sure that Krell ended up dead."

"He was a traitor. He had the 212th and 501st attack each other." Ahsoka said.

Fox stiffened.

"So the rumors were true." He said.

Ahsoka nodded.

"Before that, Fives, Jesse, and Hardcase took Umbaran fighters against orders and destroyed the Umbaran supply ship. They almost single handedly won the battle." Ahsoka said. "Hardcase didn't make it. Do you know what Krell tried to ordered after that?"

Fox frowned.

"I only know the rumors." He said.

"He ordered Fives and Jesse executed." Ahsoka said. "Tell me, was that right?"

Fox hesitated.

"No." He said finally. "They may have disobeyed orders, but they saved lives and gained an advantage. Execution was too far."

"That's what the rest of the men thought. They refused to carry out the sentence." Ahsoka said. "I know you've come to rely on orders, Fox. But you've seen they're not always right. I trust my men to make the correct choice. I think you can trust yourself as well."

Fox stood quietly for a moment.

"Thank you." He said.

He brought his hand up in a salute. Ahsoka returned it. He turned to leave.

"Wait!" Ahsoka said.

Fox paused.

"Could you make sure Rex gets this before he leaves for the Medical Center in a few days?" She asked and held out Rex's helmet.

For the first time something resembling a smile flitted across Fox's face.

"I will." He said. "Good luck, Commander Tano."

He took the helmet from her and placed his own back on. He retreated from the room. Ahsoka watched him go. He was a strange one, but Ahsoka felt at his core, he was a good man. Like all clones.

She straightened and took one last sweep of the room. Then she took a deep breath. It was back to the war.

Mando'a:

Vor Entye: Thank you. Lit. I accept the debt

Ne'entye: No debt. I thought it was dumb there's no official Mando'a response to the thank you, so I made one up

sheb: behind, butt

shabla: effing

Yes, I made up that rule about Jedi and tattoos. It makes sense to me. The only tattoos I can think of are Quinlan Vos, Barriss, and Luminara's, and they are all cultural. Also made up the 501st tattoo rule. If you pay attention, it seems they're the most tattooed, especially facially of all the clones. Rex 100 percent has the jaig eyes tattooed somewhere, and I thought the shoulder would be nice. Some stuff for you Fox fans. I thought he'd be conflicted after everything.

Well, wear your masks if you're not vaccinated, remember to review, and have a good few weeks!