He Lives

Fugitive Again?

"He was.. Drugged? By who?"

"I don't have those kinds of answers Tano. I'm just a healer." Brandon said

"Right. I'm sorry." She sighed

"When he wakes up, I can ask him."

"That might be a while."

She could really use the help of Anakin or Rex about now.

.....but she made her choice.

She could maybe at least tell Rex that Fives is alive. But... If he died. She couldn't risk going back right now. It was the only life she ever knew, and she was trying to leave it.

"Fives.. I need answers. But for now, I need you to get better."

"Take care of him for tonight. I have a contact I need to talk to. It's nothing major for me.. But maybe it is for him.."

"We'll get our answers eventually.. I know there's more to this than we realize. And like me, once. I think Fives was framed."

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Present Tense

It was a few weeks after Malachor. And, Ahsoka had told him she may not answer on schedule.. But this was well past her time to check in.

"Ey Little Man, you heard from Ahsoka recently? It's been a bit more than the standard number of rotations."

"First off. We've talked about this ever since we met basically, but I'll say it again." Brandon grumbled

"Stop with the short nicknames!"

"You know without my help you'd be dead!"

Fives laughed. He always found joy in setting off the grumpy man. And it didn't take a lot of effort either. He'd racked up  many short jokes over the last 17 years in relation to this man.

Brandon just saw the clone as an annoying little brother. Though it was much improvement since they'd first met.

"Yeah, yeah. So you've continually reminded many many times over the course of 17 years." Fives said.

"Yeah, well at least time does me more favors than you Clone. I used to be older than you."

"Well, you can't have everything can you?" He said, unfazed by the insult.

Fives heard him grumble what he was pretty sure resembled an obscene Corellian insult, he'd rather not remember."

"Have you heard from her?" He asked again, genuinely

"I've heard what you have. I hope she either comes back, or calls soon. Because I can tolerate living with you if she's around, but I can't handle just you." Brandon said irrately

"Is this because of us making that joke about me being older so that leaves me in charge?" He smirked

"Ah, shut it Clone."

"I'll make contact with her if she doesn't get to us by tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah whatever. I don't care. Just do the supply run, you two "rebels" keep on needlessly putting your life in danger, I'll live."

Fives rolled his eyes as he geared up, holstering his dual pistols.

He walked near the edge of his workbench, carrying his glass of water where a familiar helmet rested. Without realizing it, he lost himself in thought, in war. He stared at it, the silence overtaking him for a long time. As his pleasant and not so pleasant memories overtook his mind.