Warning: lots of angst and some of Rex panicking. Nothing too graphic, though.

EXT. SEPARATIST BASE - NIGHT

Ahsoka and Rex hide behind a giant rock. Jesse, Fives, and Kix hide behind another rock nearby. A Separatist fortress lies in front of them. Its blast doors are closed. Battle droids line the top wall of the base, looking down for Republic troops with giant spotlights.

Rex comms Fives.

REX
Take Jesse and Kix to the back and steal a speeder. We'll take the base.

Ahsoka nods that she's ready. Rex turns off his comm.

AHSOKA
Master Skywalker said this would be easy. Doesn't look too bad.

REX
We haven't seen the inside yet.

Fives, Jesse, and Kix cross the wall to sneak around the back.

REX
They're gone. Let's go.

Ahsoka runs towards the blast doors, avoiding two spotlights. Rex follows her.

At the door, Rex releases a grappling hook and hooks it above the blast doors.

REX
I hope the boys are already at the speeders.

Ahsoka hops onto Rex's back as the grappling hook takes them to the top of the wall. She leaps over, igniting her lightsaber, and quietly slashes down all of the droids guarding the front wall.

Ahsoka turns around as Rex scrambles over the wall.

AHSOKA
Let's go.

Rex nods and runs after her. They take out all the droids on all four corners of the wall before sneaking down the steps. They hide in the shadows of the staircase.

REX
(whispers)
I'll head to the control center. Take out the droids.

Rex runs for it as Ahsoka ignites her lightsaber, silently cutting down each droid. Rex punches a droid in the face on his way to the control center. His comm breaks.

Rex presses buttons at the control center in the middle of the base. Ahsoka runs up to him.

AHSOKA
Did you get the information?

REX
Uh... Got it. Let's go.

Rex and Ahsoka step out of the control center when laser bolts fly past them. Ahsoka gasps and falls to the floor. Rex ducks for cover, looking up at the wall. Commando droids with snipers. He looks over to see Ahsoka with a bullet wound in her chest and immediately fumbles to his feet. He pulls her behind the control center.

REX
No, no, no.

Angrily, Rex stands up and shoots at the Commando droids. He hits the first one square in the head. Rex ducks down behind the control center again, just barely grazing past a laser bolt. He stands up again and manages to shoot one off the side of the building. He hits another in the head. They're gone.

Rex yanks off his helmet and kneels beside Ahsoka. She's not breathing.

Rex checks her vitals. She's still alive. He sighs a breath of relief. He cups her cheeks in his hand and tries to shake her awake.

REX
Wake up! Wake up!

Rex anxiously reaches for his comm, and realizing it's broken, grabs for Ahsoka's. That's when he sees the second bullet wound on her arm.

Rex closes his eyes in frustration.

REX
Why couldn't I have been a medic?

Rex sits next to Ahsoka and leans down over her. He puts a hand on her cheek and anxiously looks up. He can hear his brothers overtaking the speeder bay.

REX
Hurry up.

Rex closes his eyes and leans his forehead against Ahsoka's. Her body feels very cold and still. A tear slips down his face.

REX
Please don't leave me, Ahsoka. Please.

The fighting sounds stop. Rex looks up. His brothers are nowhere to be found.

Rex touches his forehead to Ahsoka's again.

REX
Everything is going to be alright. Please stay with me. Please wake up.

Another tear slides down Rex's cheek. It lands on Ahsoka's face. Why aren't they here yet? She's going to die if they don't get here soon.

It can't end this way. Rex collapses on top of Ahsoka. The tears flood down his face as his armor bumps up against her skin with every sob he tries to choke back. He presses his nose next to hers. His lips hover centimeters from hers.

Rex tries to calm himself as he hears yells and footsteps approaching. He feels strong arms lift him off of Ahsoka and lean him gently against the control center.

Kix steps in front of Rex and immediately starts tearing off the very top of Ahsoka's outfit, just enough so that he can patch her up.

Rex sits against the wall in shock. Everything sounds very foggy.

FIVES
Rex. Rex.

A hand passes in front of Rex's face a few times.

JESSE
Is he okay?

FIVES
Rex!

Rex's eyes focus, and he sees Fives propping his shoulder upright against the wall. Jesse leans over next to Rex.

FIVES
Rex, are you okay? Are you injured?

REX
(grabs head)
I'm fine. The Commander!

Rex jumps out of Fives' grasp. Fives tries to hold him back.

FIVES
She'll be fine, Rex. Calm down.

KIX
Jesse, get over here. Hold this for me while I put on the bacta patch.

Jesse scrambles over to Kix and does as he says.

FIVES
What happened, Rex?

REX
...I, we had just finished getting the information out of this control center... when a group of Commando droids hit us from above. Our comms weren't working.

KIX
We need to get the Commander to a Med Bay fast. She'll be alright though. That shot was really close to her heart.

Fives helps Rex to his feet as Jesse and Kix carry Ahsoka.

INT. MED BAY - LATER

Rex sits on a chair in the Med Bay next to Ahsoka's bed. Kix scrolls through his medical data pad.

KIX
Let me know if she wakes up.

Kix turns and leaves. Rex inches forward and puts a hand on her hand. He gazes at her face. Her eyes flutter open.

AHSOKA
(groggily)
Rex, what happened?

Ahsoka tries to sit up. Rex puts a hand on her shoulder and gently pushes her back down.

REX
Lie down. You need to rest.

AHSOKA
Did we complete the mission?

REX
(smiles)
We did. How are you feeling?

AHSOKA
Awful.

Rex sits back in his chair.

REX
I'm glad you're alright.

AHSOKA
I've been through worse.

Rex gives her a look.

AHSOKA
Maybe this was the worst.

REX
...I thought you were dying, Ahsoka.

Rex looks down at the floor. If she knew how much he cried, he would never hear the end of it.

AHSOKA
Everything's alright now.

Rex stands up and hovers over Ahsoka's face.

REX
(small voice)
Don't ever scare me like that again.

He stares into her eyes. He feels Ahsoka's fingers entwining into his. She smiles up at him. Rex sighs and leans his forehead against hers, closing his eyes.

REX
I don't know what I would do without you.

Rex's heartbeat quickens as he realizes how close his lips are to hers. He can feel Ahsoka's breath against his skin. He smiles.

The door to the Med Bay opens. Fives walks in with Kix.

Fives sticks an arm out in front of Kix to stop him from walking. They both stare with dropped jaws at the sight before their eyes.

Rex quickly stands up straight, still looking down at Ahsoka.

REX
I'll come see you later.

She smiles at him.

AHSOKA
Thank you, Rex.

Towards the back of the room, Fives argues with Kix.

FIVES
I told you it was suspicious the way he was on TOP of her at the battle.

KIX
That was just a nervous breakdown. That happens to all troopers.

FIVES
(waves arm)
But what about right now? What do you call that?

KIX
(shrugs)
He cares about her. She's practically our sister.

Kix walks past Fives, uninterested.

FIVES
(mumbles)
I know it's more than that.

Kix nods to Rex on his way over to Ahsoka's bed. Fives stops Rex on his way out.

FIVES
What were you doing with her?

REX
Nothing.

Rex tries to slip past Fives, but Fives keeps blocking his path.

FIVES
Did you kiss her again?

REX
No. We said that was a one time thing.

FIVES
But-

REX
-If you'll excuse me, I have paperwork to do.

Rex slips out the door. Fives stares after him. Rex can't still be thinking of her as a friend, right? Fives follows Rex out the door, determined to find out how deep this crush really goes.