Reunion (#3 Post-Order 66 Series)

Reunion - Part 4

Rex caught the card and swallowed hard.

"I'm going to turn in. If you need anything...I don't care." Cid hobbled down the hall towards the back rooms, leaving the two of them alone. They were silent for a moment before they both launched into it.

"I can sleep on the ship."

"I'll sleep on the floor."

They paused.

"Rex, you take the room. I don't think you've gotten a good night's sleep since we started this."

"All the more reason for me to go back to the ship. I'm used to sleeping there."

"HEY, I SAID DON'T BE LOUD ABOUT IT!" came Cid's voice from the back.

Senna sighed, rubbing her hand over her face. "It's late. There are going to be tons of assholes out in the streets looking for an easy score, and it's colder than Hoth out there right now. You're not going alone."

"Think I can't handle myself?"

"I wouldn't want you to go alone," she replied.

"And then you'd have to come back by yourself?"

"I'm a Jedi."

"And I'm a trained clone captain."

The two of them glared at each other for a few moments before Rex finally shrugged.

"I don't care if you don't. We've shared a bed. Before...everything," he said, and Senna dug her fingers into her leg.

"Alright. It's settled then."

"Fine."

The two of them made their way upstairs as if they were being led to a prison, neither daring to speak. On the second-floor landing, Rex swiped the key card and the door sprang open with a loud metallic shriek. The room was small, just a double bed tucked against one wall with a teetering nightstand next to it, a small table with two chairs up against the other wall, and a refresher that appeared surprisingly clean compared to the rest of Cid's establishment. Senna dropped her rucksack in one corner, and the sound made both of them jump despite not being very loud. Senna's stomach growling was the next thing to break the silence, and Rex huffed a small laugh, easing some of the tension.

"Cid doesn't serve food, and frankly, I don't want to bother her for it. I saw a street vendor just around the corner. I'll go get us something and be right back."

"Rex, I should-"

"You should take a shower and relax," he said, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "You should rest that leg. You smell like a bantha pen anyway."

Senna crossed her arms, glaring at him, but the way her eyes were laughing tugged at something Rex had been trying to push down since he'd laid eyes on her. Quickly, he checked his pocket for credits and stepped back out the door, cringing as it shut loudly behind him. He released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

Kriff. Here we go again.

As he made his way back towards the street vendor, he took stock of the day. He knew he was softening towards her, despite his best efforts. When she'd been shot in the calf on Pantora, he'd thought about leaving her for half a second. A tiny voice in his head was screaming at him to, knowing it was the safe call if he was ever going to get to Wolffe, but deep down he knew no matter how angry he was at her, he'd have never left her lying there, even if it meant both of their captures. Rex had spent a lot of time replaying that moment in his mind after she'd gone to sleep in his bunk, really trying to determine the reasoning behind why he'd gone back for her. You're a good soldier. You don't leave people behind. He knew he was lying to himself. It was Senna. That's why. And even though you're throwing every bit of anger you have at her, she'd wouldn't have left you either.