By My Side

Chapter 34 - Reunions

Author's Note: Tying things together. There's only one more chapter. :')

Final chapter: December 14th 

~ Amina Gila

General Grievous is here, as if Anakin needed any further reasons to back out of it. He won't, but he still almost wishes he could. Grievous is... Grievous, and he's a monster. Dooku, for as dark and awful as he is, has had some limits, and at least this time around, he obviously somewhat cares for the future of the galaxy.

Grievous just cares about his kill counts.

This is the first time Anakin and Ahsoka have been anywhere in a while, and he misses it. He misses everything about being free, but still, somehow, Anakin feels freer now than he ever has.

The negotiations are on Mandalore, the same time they were halfway through the war in Anakin's time. He hadn't been there then – he'd been elsewhere and sent Ahsoka in his stead. That hadn't been an ideal situation when she had a Death Watch run in.

It makes Anakin wonder whether or not his Ahsoka will meet Lux somehow, if that's one of those things that's destined to happen or not. They'd cared about each other, and he hopes they do again.

Mina Bonteri is here, on the Separatist side, and the only one that Anakin readily trusts.

Padme's there. Anakin feels her the moment she arrives.

And... so is Rex. As are many of the 501st.

It must've been a legal headache that Anakin missed everything about to even agree for both clones and droids to be here, but Rex is here, and Anakin can't say how grateful he is for that. He wants to talk to him again. Rex is... the only one Anakin is certain won't... leave him.

He doesn't really think Padme will, either, but she had no idea what he was when they married. He isn't the person she married anymore, either. He's changed, and she doesn't remember any of it.

"Rex is here," Anakin tells Ahsoka, leaning closer to keep it quiet.

"Here?!" she squeaks, eyes widening, though she lights up instantly. She isn't nearly as close with Rex as she once was, but they're still friends, and Anakin has no doubt they'll get far closer.

Anakin nods. "Yeah. Do you... want to talk to him?" It's going to be complicated, and he has no doubt Rex will be upset about why they're here – though it was necessary. Dooku... isn't wrong that they're going to need Jedi present to keep things from blowing up. Ventress is here, too, though Anakin lost sight of her a while back.

Probably, the Republic only agreed to let Ventress be here – Grievous is staying in a ship on orbit off Mandalore – was so they could send in Jedi, too. Anakin knows the Jedi want the war to end, but they don't always think clearly when Sith come into the picture. Anakin certainly didn't. If he did, none of this would've happened. Maybe – there's not time to think about it.

Finding Rex isn't hard, and Anakin senses his shock the moment he catches sight of them.

"Sir?"

"Rex," Anakin nods, approaching with an almost ridiculous level of hesitation. It's been a while, and he'd understand if Rex was angry at him, though that's never happened before. Can't imagine it'd start now, either, but it's still an ever-present concern.

He pulls off his helmet, and Anakin feels a nearly ridiculous amount of relief at seeing his face again. He looks – is – the same, even if it's been a while, and he's alright. Nothing else matters. Anakin had been so worried for so long. He had no way of knowing if something happened to Rex or any of the boys that he was close with. It isn't like anyone would be talking about it. If they died, he'd never forgive himself.