Heyo, human beings from outer space!
I'm not deaaaaad~
So first of all I'd like to apologize for dropping off the face of the earth for like, a month. Between internet and technology issues, my busy schedule, entering a novelette contest, and life in general, I haven't had much time for writing fanfiction. So thanks for your patience, and thanks for all the nice messages I recieved becuase those mean the world to me :)
I also went to publish stuff like three times but I kept loosing day 8 (it's on ao3 in another fandom) and I couldn't publish 9 or 10 until I got 8 published becuase I'm a ✨profectionist✨
Now since it's Christmas Eve, I'd like to give all ye peoples a gift. I've got two fics for you today and a Christmas special coming out tomorrow!
This was requested by basically everyone and is a sequel to day 7. Love you all, sorry for the long a/n, okay I'm done now.
Read on if you dare.
Kix was a miracle worker, and he indeed worked a miracle.
Tano held onto the threads of life until they made it to Coruscant thanks to him. She was immediately shipped off to the temple where the Jedi could use their connection to their Jedi magic and heal her.
Rex stood with Kix as they watched the procession of healers shrink to tiny dots and then disappear around the side of the Jedi Temple.
"She'll be okay," Rex said, maybe more to himself than Kix.
"If they don't kill her first," Kix scoffed.
"They won't."
Kix sighed. He'd never agreed with how the Healers ran things. Sure, they could work wonders, but their patient's recovery periods were arranged sloppily and loosely. They were cocky with their powers, Kix told everyone, and he'd keep his Jedi in his med-bay for as long as he could.
"I'm getting her out as soon as I can."
Rex let the grin slide onto his face. "Already arranging a prison-break squad."
Kix grinned right back. "Sir yes sir."
///
"General," Rex nearly choked on his food when he thought he saw a zombie appear in the entrance of the mess hall. "What the kriff happened to you?"
"Ha-ha," Anakin mumbled.
The other men began turning their attention to their General, and Harcase shrieked and tumbled from the bench. "No, General! He's serious," Hardcase cried. "Did you get hit by a speeder?!"
"No. I did not." Anakin dropped his face into his hands. "It's... it's Ahsoka. I think she's dying."
The immediate silence was nearly crippling. No one dared to even breathe.
"With all due respect, Sir," someone called out after far too many beats of silence. "You're a liar."
Anakin raised his eyebrows. "Is that so, Trooper? Go ahead, enlighten me. Tell me how I'm lying when I was the one who's been watching her die in her bed!" His eyes shone with anger and tears.
"I— Sir," the trooper sputtered, "I may not know exactly her condition or have been there like you have, but I do know one thing: Commander Tano of the 501st is no quitter: she's a fighter. She's not gonna quit on us anytime soon."
"So we're not gonna quit on her!"
Cheers erupted through the mess hall and Anakin hid his face, shoulders shaking. "You can't say that! No matter what you say, she's still dying."
Rex pushed himself up from the bench, lifted his cup of the gross tasting water, and made a toast to Commander Tano. While everyone was still cheering, Rex shot Kix a knowing look before grabbing Anakin by the shoulders.
"Let's take a minute, Sir," Rex said quietly as he guided the General down the hallway. "There you go, let it out. You should go lie down, I can bring you some grub if you want."
The General just kept drawing in shaking, raspy breaths. It was always difficult to see their strong Jedi in shambles... and Rex intended to put him back together.
But he would need a little help and a formidable medic for that.
///
"The General wasn't kidding, Kriffing Jedi," Kix spat when he, Rex, and their tiny prison-break crew managed to infiltrate the Halls of Healing and made it into Tano's room.
Rex's insides contracted as he studied Tano once again. When they'd rescued her from a Seppie prison block, he hadn't been able to get a good look at anything but the blood painting the walls and floor of the cell. Now he saw her, bruised tiny against the white bed and numerous monitors.
"They are trying to kill her," Kix growled. "Okay, boys, listen up. Tano's not in good shape, and the longer it takes to transfer her, the worse she's gonna be. So we gotta make this quick and careful, understand?"
A hushed chorus of "Sir, yes, sir" bounced between the men.
"Okay, get ready. We've got no time to lose."
///
"How's our favorite patient?"
The fuss had died down finally. They'd gotten Tano back in a rush and Kix ended up kicking everyone out of the med-bay save for his junior medics so they could operate as smoothly as possible.
Most of the clones headed back to the barracks to lower suspicious as to why they had mysteriously dissipated and then lingered outside the med bay. Plus, they had a ton of brothers waiting for an update.
But Rex stayed. He couldn't bring himself to leave.
Kix leaned back at his desk and rubbed his temples. "Better. Her vitals have improved already, but they're still lower than I need them to be." He sighed heavily. "How's the General?"
"Out cold sill," Rex said.
"I was hoping to get her improved more before he wakes up," Kix explained. "Those kriffing Jedi healers are so... frustrating. They can work wonders, but they're sloppy afterwards, as if their Jedi Magic is gonna solve all her problems. She needs proper monitoring and adjustments!"
Rex nodded along. He found it was the best thing to do when Kix got riled up over the Jedi Healers. The truth was both the general and commander would be dead without those healers. The truth didn't make Kix like them.
"Keep me posted, and call if you need anything," Rex said to change the subject.
"Could you bring me some caf? I'm watching the kid like a hawk tonight," Kix said.
"Sure."
///
Anakin woke up disoriented with early morning sunshine blinding him and every muscle sore. He sat up dizzily. Anakin tried to remember falling asleep or why he wasn't at the temple but his thoughts came thickly and stuck in the corners in his mind where they weren't clear enough.
"General, you're alive!" Tup appear in the doorway with a bottole of that unmistakable protein shake in one hand. Tup tossed the bottle to Anakin. "Drink this, doctor's orders."
Anakin groaned. "Gross."
"I know, I get it, it's some nasty goop. But Kix thinks it's the safest option, given you probably haven't eaten since you and Tano were Jedi-napped."
Tup was too cheery, and Anakin didn't know whether to be grateful or angry about it. His padawan was dying. Maybe he needed a little light of positivity, but he didn't want any. He wanted to be left alone to drown his his sorrow.
"So, how long was I asleep?" Anakin asked, hoping Tup would dile it down a bit.
"Like, a rotation."
"A whole rotation?!" Anakin choked on his nasty protein shake. "You're kidding, right?"
"Nope," Tup chirped. "Now chug that shake, General. We got a surprise for you."
Anakin dumped it down his throat, trying not to taste it, and set the cup aside. He was sure Tup was just trying to make him feel better, and he appreciated that, but he wasn't in the mood.
"What is it, Trooper?"
"What? The surprise?" Tup scoffed. "I can't tell you that, General, 'cause that would take the surprise part out out of it."
Anakin groaned. "Fine. But make it quick."
"Alright, alright. Just follow me."
Anakin did as he was told and trailed after Tup down the hallways, unhappy when he realized they were headed in the direction of the med bay. Anakin didn't want to go into one of those for a long time. It made him think of Ahsoka, and he couldn't bear the way it chilled him.
"I don't think this is such a good idea–"
"Nonsense, you'll love it," Tup insisted. "Come on, let's go."
Anakin took a deep breath, swallowed hard, and followed after Tup into the med bay and down past Kix's vacated desk. Anakin didn't know where they were going or why until he spotted a bad filled with a very particular occupant.
Ahsoka. Sitting upright and managing to breathe without a tube stuck in her throat: only oxygen tubes fastened to her nose.
Anakin raced to her side and stopped short of hugging her. "You're– you're alive!"
"You thought you could get rid of me that easily?" Ahsoka said, voice soft and gravelly from fatigue. From the sound of it, she woke only minutes ago. "Try harder next time."
He wanted to hug her, to hold her forever, and to never let her go. He'd been sure she wouldn't survive, and he didn't want to repeat it.
It was a good thing Kix could work miracles.
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Words: 1,388
Published: 24 December 2023
I was so tempted to kill Ahsoka in this one but I'm broke from having to send all my readers to therapy all the time so I refrained.
Requests are open, feel free to message me or make a comment if you have any ideas.
Bye, peoples!