Work Text:
“Hey gorgeous!”
“Hey Coria, what’s up?” I glanced up from the med table I had been cleaning.
“Just wanted to let you know, your last patient is here, waiting in exam room 4”, Coria smirked
“Alright, thanks love. Maker, I’m so tired, hopefully I’ll be done with this patient soon and I can go home and soak in a nice relaxing warm tub.”
Coria, a Togruta with light blue lekkus, stood at the door to my now sterilized exam room, the smirk that she had before had grown into a grin, “What?” I asked, not sure if I really wanted to know the answer.
“Just wondering if there’s room in the tub for me too?”
I simply shook my head, she always tried to say things like that to get a rise out of me, I ignored her comment, and went back to business. After all, if I let a simple comment like that fluster me, I have no business being a combat medic. Had. Had no business being a combat medic. That was a lifetime ago now. Now I was just a simple medic in a small village that needed help. I was happy to have found this little peaceful village, it took time for those in the village and in the neighbouring towns to trust me, but I worked hard and now, everyone came to me for all their medical needs. I took on Coria as a medic trainee, she had progressed quite well. In fact, she now even makes house calls for me, when I can’t, taking cases I knew she could handle on her own.
“You know, every day you try to say something to get me all frazzled, and yet…” I gesture opening up my arms, showing I was steady.
Coria chuckled, her montrals shaking slightly, “Well I wanted to make sure, you were in good spirits because this last guy is a bit dodgy”.
It wasn’t unusual to have a random stranger, usually an unlicensed bounty hunter, or someone who had gotten in trouble with one person or another looking for medical aid. The rule of the clinic, we don’t ask, we don’t turn away. If someone was in need, no matter who they were, we helped them. We also made sure never to ask for chain codes, if the Empire wanted to track people, then they better come here and do it themselves.
“Why should that throw me off?”
“It’s not him per say, but the smell radiating off of him. Like something died.”
“Coria!”
“What? Can’t I put my medic skills to good use?”
I shook my head at her, “What if he hears you?”
“I closed the door, he can’t hear anything”
“Mmhmm”
“Anyways, if he didn’t smell, I would have tended to him myself”, again that smirk appeared, oh dear what now.
“So plug your nose and tend to him. I’m tired”
“I would, he has those nice big, broad shoulders, you know I like” she wiggled her eyebrows. This girl was beyond incorrigible.
“You are hopeless. Anyways, go and take care of him. With my blessings.”
“He asked for you specifically.”
“Me?”
“He said someone referred him to you, and he will trust only you”.
“Okay” it’s not an odd request, oftentimes first timers who didn’t know how the clinic operated were nervous they’d be tracked by the Empire. Thankfully our planet was too small and not populous enough for the Empire to care about us.
“What’s his name?”
Coria handed me the data pad, “He says his name is Jabba the Hutt, can you believe that? I mean if you are going to come up with an aka, come up with something better than that.”
“Well you did say he smelled like something died, the Hutts do have a certain … how do I put this … odour about them”.
“So you think he’s really a Hutt?”
“Is he a worm, with arms, eyes and a mouth?”
“No”
“Then probably not a Hutt.”
“Do you want me to stay, just in case?”
“Nah, I’m good” I tapped the blaster on my thigh, although most of our patients were honourable, with legitimate issues, sometimes we did get those who had mistaken us for being a brothel, or a drug dispensary. It didn’t happen too often, and the times it did, we’ve had other patients step in and protect us.
I waved off Coria, locking the front door, and headed to the exam room, when I opened the door, I did notice a scent, it wasn’t as bad as Coria made it out to believe, but then I was use to the smell of death fighting alongside the 501st and the 212 th , while I was a combat medic. I hadn’t looked at the patient that sat on the table in the middle of the room, I was busy reviewing the data pad Coria had handed me.
“Okay, Mr. Hutt, first I know that’s not your real name, but I’ll call you that, of course oh Great Jabba, you’ve lost a tremendous amount of weight and your tail”, I chuckled, I often made a quick joke with those who came in with alias, it eased them a bit. I heard a chuckle, and turned to see a poncho, that had seen better days, it was more like a blanket than a poncho, it covered his entire face, arms, legs, the hood was practically half way down his face, how did he even see?
“Reviewing the data pad, I understand you have a sore shoulder, and you’re worried a scar on the side of your head has reopened after an altercation, is that correct?”
“Hmmm”
“Okay, not a problem, first things first, I’m gonna need you to take off your poncho. My name is Medic Syko, hopefully we’ll get you all bandaged up and ready to hit the cantinas in no time.”
I turned my back to grab some gloves, “That’s not your name, mesh’la”.
My body froze, that voice, I hadn’t heard that voice … I felt sweat building up on my forehead, the nerves I was so proud of calming were all over the place. My breath quickened, my heart raced. It can’t be who I think it is.
There’s no way.
I turned slightly, catching a peripheral view of the man sitting on the table before me. I caught a glimpse of a blonde buzz and tanned skin. I closed my eyes fully turning. I knew what I would be seeing as soon as I opened my eyes, but I really hoped I was wrong. It can’t be.
No, you’re hallucinating, it’s not him. No way.
I opened my eyes looking at the floor, I moved my eyes upwards slowly, I saw plastoid armour decorated with blue paint, my eyes landed on his knees where his hands rested, his warm hands that would caress my face late at night, or early in the morning. Those arms that would hold me, making me feel safer then I had ever been. That chest where I whispered my deepest feelings, knowing the heart behind the rib cage captured and held my feelings protecting them till the stars dimmed. My eyes trailed further up to his broad shoulders, those shoulders where my head nestled during sleepless nights, bad dreams, or unbearable grief. The strong neck and jawline, where my hands rested more times than I can count, trailing that jaw line with my finger over and over again. The lips that whispered his love to me over and over again. Those eyes that could look deep into my soul.
“Rex?”
“Hey gorgeous!”
I couldn’t hold back anymore and I rushed into his arms, it was as though no time had passed, my arms found their purchase on his shoulders, my face found its place in the crook of his neck. His scent filled my nostrils, full of warmth, his musk, his soap, woodsy with a hint of cologne. His cologne. His arms found their spot on my waist, he pulled me in, pulling me tighter into him, his head resting on my shoulder.
He was here.
He was alive.
I wanted to cry, I wanted to scream, I wanted to have so many emotions, but they all flooded away. The only thing being played in mind over and over again, was our last conversation.
“You have to go”
“Why? Give me one good reason. You … we just lost Fives! I know you’re grieving!”
“You know nothing”
“How can you say that? After everything …”
“It meant nothing!”
“Don’t!” I said pointing my finger at him, “Don’t say that! You and I both know it meant something, all of it meant something.”
“Not anymore. Don’t you get it, I don’t want you!”
“You’re lying, I can see it in your eyes!”
“No. I’m not.”
“You … Rex …”
“What aren’t you getting? God for a medic, you are so dense!”
“Rex!”
“To think I spent all those days and nights with you, how desperate must I have been?”
I didn’t even think, my hand had a mind of its own, as it reached its target, the side of his face. The slap was so loud, it echoed throughout his quarters.
“You bastard!”
“Needed to have a mother, to be one of those pets!”
God, he knew I hated that term.
“Fine, this is what you want. To throw away our love, to throw away our happiness! Our marriage!!!”
“I was drunk on cheap liquor from 79s when I agreed to marry you, I would have married a wookie, if it was there”
The tears were freely flowing, I couldn’t believe this was the man who declared his love to me, by singing my favourite song in the med bay, while Kix and I were restocking. The same man, who wanted us to have kids, once the war ended. The same man, who held me when my brother and my home were destroyed, leaving me all alone in the universe. The same man, who saved me numerous times on the battlefield. The man who called me his, over and over again.
“Rex, just tell me the truth! I know something is up, come on, talk to me!” This man in front of me wasn't the Rex I knew and loved. This was a vile hateful man, in Rex’s skin.
“Alright, you want the truth, here it is. I found someone better. Younger. Hotter. You are nothing compared to her. There is nothing special about you, never was. I simply needed to be distracted, and you were the only thing available. Do you understand now? I don’t LOVE YOU, I NEVER HAVE!!!”
I couldn’t take it anymore, my heart broke. Could he have really found someone else? I collapsed on the floor of his quarters, tears coming hard, barely being able to breathe.
“Please take your miserable existence elsewhere”.
I don’t know who, but I felt hands on my arms helping me stand, I remember seeing a flash of Anakin fuming at Rex, I heard distant yelling, but I couldn’t make anything out, after that I left the GAR, I couldn’t stay there any longer.
I pulled back from Rex, his eyes were saddened, they looked hurt, but after relieving that memory, all I could feel was anger. How dare he show up at my door! At my clinic!
I stepped out of his hold, his eyes searching my face, the joy that had been there was gone, as soon as that memory entered my mind.
“Why are you here, Rex?” My face remained stoic, my voice firm, I popped out my hip and crossed my arms. Rex had been married to me long enough to know, this was my don’t kriffing mess with me, face.
“Mesh’la”
“Don’t” I raised a finger, “you never get to call me that again!”
“I know I hurt you, but that was for your own protection. I needed to protect you. I regretted every single word I said.”
“Really? What about the better person you found?”
“There never was anyone” his eyes pleaded with me to believe him, but my heart still hurt, even though it had been years since that day, the ache never left. I knew why, it never left. I knew it’s because I still loved him, despite all those hurtful things he said, I never stopped loving him. However, I couldn’t let him in, not just yet. He needed to earn my love, and my trust again.
“Rex, did you come here just to win me back? If that’s the reason, you know where the door is and you can show yourself out.”
I turned away to throw my gloves in the garbage. I couldn’t stand to look at him anymore, mainly because there was nothing I wanted to do, but to crash my lips against his, feel his hands on my again, feel his arms around me, keeping me safe.
“I know a simple apology will never make up for the hurt I caused you. Nothing I say will, but I am here to take steps to heal what I broke. I know it will take time, but I do want to heal us. You have no idea, how seeing you fall apart before me, and me not able to reach out and comfort you, hearing my voice say those vile words, knowing I couldn’t say what I wanted, it …” his voice got quieter, “it broke me, my love. I wasn’t the same when I had to push you away.”
I turned slightly to see him out of my peripherals, tears were streaming down his face, don’t look. Turn away. Don’t cry. Don’t cry. You’ve cried enough over this man. You cried about him last night. No more.
“You keep saying you were protecting me, but you don’t say what from”
“It’s a long story”
“Well the clinic is closed, so I got time”
“You … um … you don’t …”
“Are you seriously about to ask me if I have someone waiting for me at home?”
Rex was silent, I turned and saw him silently nodding as more tears streamed down, the anger that I had built up over the years, was slowly ebbing away. Curse this man.
“No. There hasn’t been anyone since you. Partly, because I got it in my head I was never good enough for anyone.” Rex shot his head up, looking into my eyes, with tears silently rolling down, his eyes said the question he wasn’t able to utter, ‘why did I think that?’, “Gee, I wonder where I got the idea I wasn’t good enough. Maybe because someone told me, they had found someone better, younger, hotter. I believe those were your words.”
Rex slowly started to remove every single piece of armour, I didn’t understand what he was doing, then he reached for the hem of his blacks, he slowly lifted it, placing the shirt to the side. There where his heart rested, was my name, underneath, it read ‘if perfection had a name’.
“There was never anyone better than you. You are my whole heart. I was a good man before I met you. You made me a better man. I’m sorry, my love. I did what I thought was best to remove you from danger, and to save you. If you had stayed with me, you would certainly be dead right now.”
His hands covered his eyes, as he bent forward crying unrelentingly, a sound erupted from him I’d never heard before, it was like a wounded animal. My anger had all but faded, I rushed forward holding him in my arms, rubbing soothing circles on his bare back.
“Rex, tell me, what did you have to protect me from?”
“Me!”
“What?”
I pulled his hands away, raising his head with my forefingers, “My love, look at me, tell me everything”.
I wiped the tears that fell as Rex started telling me what Fives had told him, about the chips, about the chancellor being involved. He didn’t believe him, until he turned his blasters on Ahsoka. How if it weren’t for her, he would be dead right now. How every one of his men was buried on a moon. How it was his fault all his brothers died. Even if he didn’t fully believe Fives, he wanted me out of harm's way. Out of danger. Out of a reach, from being used against him to do unspeakable things. He blamed himself for the genocide of the Jedi. After Order 66, he devoted all his time in trying to find me, he had asked for help from friends he had made. He mentioned a few names, none of which held any meaning to me, Tech, Hunter, Rava, and then he mentioned Echo.
“Echo? He died my love. You told me, he died at the citadel.”
Rex, who now had his blacks back on, told me how he and Bad Batch, some sort of elite clone squad, received a dispatch from Echo and were able to rescue him from separatist hands. He told me Echo had been experimented on, how although physically he didn’t look like the man we knew, inside his heart he was still the same man. An honourable man.
“Rex, why didn’t you just tell me? Did you think I wouldn’t understand?”
“I didn’t want you involved. My only thought at that moment was, I needed to protect my wife. I needed you safe. Even if I were to die, you would live, you would be able to carry my love, the memories of me.”
“Rex, you idiot” a wet chuckle erupting, “don’t you get, the only way I’m safe is with you. If you were to die, I would’ve died too, maybe not physically, but my life doesn’t mean anything without you. Trust me, I lived the past few years without you.”
His eyes started to have that same warmth, I fell in love with all those years ago.
“Mesh’la” Rex prodded, testing the waters. I couldn’t help but blush at the name, “I will spend the rest of my life making up for pushing away. I want you to know there’s never been anyone other than you. Not before, and certainly not after. You were the only one that lived in my memory.”
I leaned forward, my forehead resting against his.
“Well Captain, you certainly are making great strides already in fixing what you broke” I teased.
“I’ll do it every day, all day, if it means I get to hold you in my arms once again”.
“Rex”
“Yes, cyar’ika?”
“Shut up and kiss me”
His lips crashed on mine, the anger, the hurt, the pain that had been held in the tiny exam room, was slowly melting away with every passing second our lips were joined. At first, the kiss was soft, tender, warm, a forgiveness in each moment, the kisses slowly grew desperate, filled with passion, the longing from years of being apart pushing us and driving us, building up within us.
We finally pulled away, “Well Captain, that was one hell of a kiss, did you take lessons or something?”
Rex chuckled, “Are you trying to say my kisses weren’t good before, medic?”
“I’m trying to say, for someone who hasn’t kissed anyone in a long time, that was amazing” I smiled, grinning from ear to ear.
“I love you, I’m never letting you go again.”
“I love you too, Rex. I’m never letting you push me away again.”
We both stayed silent for what seemed like eons, simply accepting that we had found ourselves again. I started to laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
“I told my medic trainee, I couldn’t wait to get rid of you, so I could soak in my tub; and now all I can think about is how I can somehow make you attached to me, so you’re never far away.”
“I know one way, you can be attached to me forever.”
“Oh yeah” I tossed my head back, “how?”
Rex moved his hand from my back to his pocket, and pulled out our wedding bands. Seeing my band, I remember that I had thrown it at him before I collapsed on the floor of his bunk.
“Mesh’la, will you be mine again? To have and to hold, for all eternity? In sickness and in health? Even when I’m an idiot?”
I placed my hands on the side of his face, holding it as I bent my face closer to his, grazing my lips against his, “Yes” I pecked his lips, “yes” one more peck, “yes” one more kiss, “yes!” The last kiss I pressed my lips against his and knew that these would be the only lips I would ever kiss for the rest of my life, until the stars no longer shined.
“You said there was something else you wanted to talk to me about?”
“Yeah”
“Tell me”
“Want to help me start a rebellion against the Empire?”
I looked in his eyes, my smile growing by the second, “Darlin’, like you even have to ask”.