SWTCW Oneshots (Mainly Clones) part 2

Experience

Rex was 6 in clone years when he experienced death for the first time.

One of his batchmates was killed in a freak training accident. One of the droids that was supposed to be safe shot him through the stomach.

Rex remembers rushing over, crying for his brother because he didn't know what was going on. People tried to hold him back, but when they saw that his brother clearly wanted him over there, they let him through.

He was the youngest of his batch. The brother that was killed was the second oldest of all of them.

He remembered kneeling at his brother's side along with his other batchmates, but his brother was mainly focused on him. He grasped his hand, pleading with him to stay with him as the life faded from his friend's eyes.

Rex also remembered him saying that he loved him. That hurt the most. Then he was gone.

After that, he watched his batchmates fall one by one until eventually, his oldest brother fell too. And then it was just Rex.

Following then was the battle of Christophsis and Teth. Then he met Fives and Echo and watched as they went through the same pain as he did, watching their batchmates fall.

He didn't want them to go through the same pain, but they did. But he's glad they had each other.

Rex didn't even have the words to express how proud he was when Fives and Echo were promoted to ARCs. He remembers slapping both of them on the shoulder, expressing how proud he was of them, receiving 2 wide smiles in return.

And the came the Citadel. Fives and Echo were torn apart. Fives lost his twin, his last batchmate, his other half.

Rex tried to be there for him, but Fives consistently pushed him away, screaming frustrated and grief-filled profanities at him that he took as a hint to leave him alone.

That's when he went to his own quarters and cried.

A part of him was screaming at him of how this was all his fault. Fives was screaming at him that he didn't understand what it felt like, but he did. He just didn't think it was a good time to say anything.

When Fives came in to apologize, having apparently calmed down from his rash outburst, Rex was curled up in his bunk, tears rolling down his face.

"Captain?" Fives had whispered, nervous to wake him if he was sleeping, which he was not.

Rex had heard him and looked up. Fives was wringing his fingers together, pausing at the tear tracks rolling down his brother's face.

"Fives," Rex said, inviting the ARC to sit with him but not really saying anything.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you, sir," Fives murmured. "It was very disrespectful, and I understand if you want to punish me for—"

"No," Rex shook his head. "No. Fives, listen. I don't blame you for getting mad. It wasn't disrespectful, and you sure as hell don't deserve to be punished," He wiped a few tears from his face. "I'm the one who should be—"

Fives snorted. "Don't be trying to take the blame for this either, sir."

Rex just sat there until Fives wiggled his way under his arm and against his side, closing his eyes.

The Captain hadn't even been bothered to wake him.

And then there was Umbara. His worst nightmare.

Not only was the planet itself a nightmare, they were being lead by a 4 armed frog who later turned on them.

Hardcase died. Rex killed his own brothers. He nearly got Fives and Jesse executed. Dogma was court martialed because of him.

He was struggling with his loyalties the entire campaign and Fives knew it. Him and Jesse both. And it became clear that Fives would not let Rex take the fall for his own actions. And it also became clear that he didn't blame him for anything, which he mentioned only a few minutes before he should have died.