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When the assignment comes in, Rex wants to curse.
Torrent has been quiet ever since Skywalker’s arrest, but it hasn’t been relaxing. Rex has been fielding questions from all different sorts of authorities, going back over all their old mission reports with a fine-toothed comb, and reassuring the men that they weren’t about to get decommissioned just because their general turned out to be a Sith.
But it’s true that he’s been getting restless as well, so Rex sighs, boots up his comm, and contacts Cody for a second opinion.
“Is this really something we should be handling?” Rex asks when Cody appears on the screen. “I know we’re close since we’re stationed on Coruscant right now, but our last prisoner exchange doesn’t exactly paint us in a good light.”
Cody raises a brow, but doesn’t comment on the lack of greeting.
“You’re available. That’s what really matters.”
“I know, but—” Rex lets out a huff, rubbing his forehead. “It’s not that easy. There are so many eyes on us right now.”
“Then you better make sure not to mess this up.”
Rex shoots Cody a cross look, but the man is unrepentant, as always.
It’s not just about the mission, he knows. Well, it is, but it’s about what the mission will bring him to, more than the mission himself.
Because they aren’t going to be doing this exchange for any old soldier of the Republic. This is for a Marshall Commander, recovered by the Separatists from one of Palpatine’s old hideouts.
This is about Fox.
And Rex knows that Cody has to be pissed as all hell that he can’t take care of this himself. Rex has been on the receiving end of that laser-focused protection more than once, he understands how Cody gets. But still.
“Why can’t the Guard do this?” Rex complains, though even as he does, a bit of guilt in him stirs. It’s not like he hates Fox. It’s just—it’s been hard, recently. He doesn’t need this on top of all the other stress.
Cody gives him a long, hard stare, and Rex wilts. Then, he speaks.
“The Guard are still being de-chipped. They were the last battalion to get started, and until everyone is done, they're on lockdown. They would be there for Fox if they could.”
It’s the last sentence that really hits Rex, and he looks down, shuffling his feet. It’s all too easy to imagine one of his own troopers in Fox’s place, if Skywalker hadn’t gotten caught before he could have a complete breakdown and kill them all. Skywalker would have happily handed his battalion over to the Chancellor, Rex knows that now.
And if it was one of his men in Fox’s place, he would have given anything to be by their side.
“You’re right,” Rex says, shoulders hunched. He’s just so tired.
“Rex.”
He looks up, startled. Cody’s expression has softened slightly, an edge of sympathy in his voice.
“Go get Fox, and then come home. Okay?”
Rex breathes in, then out. Straightens his back.
“Okay.”
***
It’s insulting, really, that a Marshall Commander, leader of the homefront for years, can be exchanged for the whiny son of a Separatist leader who only ended up getting captured by mistake.
Rex is glad to have him off the ship, and equally glad to see Fox replace him, but—
Fox is very quiet.
He kept his head down when he was being walked over to the ship, and even now that he’s in the medbay, getting fussed over by Kix as Rex stands awkwardly nearby, Fox remains silent, staring up at the ceiling.
“Get some rest, sir,” Kix says, anxiously smoothing down the blankets on one side, keeping them hospital perfect.
Fox doesn't say anything, doesn’t even grunt in acknowledgement, but he obediently closes his eyes, drifting off within moments.
It’s unnerving. Fox has always been so full of life for as long as Rex has known him—too much life, as the trainers on Kamino might say. He’s snarky, and blunt, and when he doesn’t see a way to fix a problem within conventional means, Fox has no issue going at it sideways or upside down instead.
They’ve never been friends, but Rex knows him, respects him.
He knows that Fox may be physically present, but something in his spirit has been stolen from him.
“He’s in there, sir,” Kix says, turning to him. “He just needs a little time.”
Rex sighs, nodding his understanding. Seems like all of them need a little time. Kix has other duties to attend to, and he’s about to call one of the other medics when Rex just offers to stay and watch over Fox himself.
Kix wavers, unsure, but Rex manages to shoo him away, taking a seat by Fox’s bedside as he settles in for the wait. It’ll take hours for them to reach Coruscant, and with all the reports in, he doesn’t have anywhere else to be.
Which means Rex is there, struggling to stay awake, when Fox begins to twitch.
Rex jolts, unsure of what to do as Fox lets out these tiny, heartbreaking sounds, the kind that Rex has only heard when someone is dying, and he dithers for a moment before reaching out and carefully taking Fox’s hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
“You're alright, you’re safe,” Rex murmurs, beginning a litany that is all too familiar to him after three years of war.
One of Fox’s eyes cracks open, and he stares up at Rex with an alertness that was entirely absent before.
Rex’s heart stutters. “Fox?”
“Sorry, Rex,” Fox says, voice so hoarse and sounding so utterly devastated that it’s nearly enough to make Rex cry. “‘m sorry, I’ll do better—”
“No, Fox,” Rex gasps out, and he finally gives in, crawling onto the medical cot and pulling Fox close, letting him tuck his head under Rex’s chin, body shuddering minutely. “You’ve done enough. It’s okay, Fox.”
Fox’s hand clutch at the collar of Rex’s undersuit, trying to burrow deeper into him, and Rex realizes with sudden clarity that this is almost a perfect reversal of their time on Kamino. How often had Rex hidden inside Fox’s sleeping pod when he’d been feeling scared and alone?
He’d done it more often with Cody, of course, but Fox was a close second. Fox just had that presence around him—the feeling that he was strong enough, bold enough, clever enough to protect you, regardless of what the Kaminoans might try.
…Had Rex ever thanked him for that?
He presses his cheek to Fox’s wild, overgrown curls, and tries not to cry.
“It’ll be okay, Fox. We’re going home.”