Clone Wars One Shots

The Perfect Medic

Hey everyone, I'm back!!! I know it's been foreverrrrr since I last posted and I deeply apologize for that. I've been really busy lately and haven't gotten much writing time. 😭

Anyways, I really hope you like this story- it took me like 3 weeks to finish- oops.

Enjoy!!

Kix felt pretty content in his position as the 501st's chief medic. Sure, the position came with many responsibilities and plenty of stress, but it was rewarding. Well at least as rewarding as a field clone medic's job could be.

But overall, the medic felt special being around all his vode all day and being able to help them after every rough battle.

Kix had always been the top of his class back on Kamino, always wanting to impress his medic trainers and working extra hard on every exam and evaluation he was given.

He was the perfect medic and the perfect soldier. But, being perfect is not always so easy.

It had been 3 hours since his patient had died. His junior medic-Stitches- was finishing cleaning up, wiping down the surgery table and delivering the body to the morgue.

Kix had tried so hard to save the little shiny's life. He was in surgery for over 5 hours, stitching up cut after cut and draining the fluid buildup in his lungs. Everything had been going great until... well until they ran out of bacta tanks.

It was the only way the trooper would stay alive.

The medic had begged General Skywalker to bring the injured shiny to their neighboring ship; the Negotiator. But they were out as well. The General apologized many times asking about any other options. There was always life support, but one could only be on the ventilator for so long.

Kix hooked him up anyways, plugging in the clone to all the machines designed to keep his lungs moving and his heart pumping. He wouldn't give up- he wouldn't let the trooper- his brother- his vod- die.

But he guessed it was already too late for that.

Kix sighed, sagging deeper into his squishy office chair. He wished he could just melt into the chair inhaling all the musty fumes and letting them overtake his lungs. Dying from rotten leather sounded so much better than dying from his own guilt.

But why did he feel so guilty? It was just another soldier dead, just another brother, just another life. The medic already had so much blood tainting his hands.

What was one more death?

"Kix?"

Kix groaned and palmed his eyes away from the blank white wall he was staring at. He fumbled around on his desk, his fingers searching around for the familiar metal casing of his commlink.

"Kix here."

"Hey..." Kix raised an eyebrow at the sound. It was unmistakably his General's masculine voice. He was just confused about the tone and shape of his words... The General was usually so confident and now he sounded so awfully upset, drowning out his words in a very unusual manner. "Is the trooper... still- well- is he still alive?"

Kix's breath hitched in his throat.

"Um... no." He fiddled around in his chair, his teeth nipping at his bottom lip. "He passed away this morning."

A tense silence washed over the comm.

"I'm sorry, Kix." Anakin said a deep sorrow laced into his words, "I wish I could've done more."

Kix pulled his teeth away from his abused lip. "You did everything you could, sir."

But I could have done more.

"Don't beat yourself up about it, Kix." The Jedi said, as if somehow he could hear his thoughts. "Try and get some rest, I'll be in my office if you need anything."

"I will. Thank you, sir."

"Of course."

The conversation ended with a beep and the line went out. Kix exhaled a long breath and rubbed his palms down his face. He loved General Skywalker- he was an amazing vod- but he was still a natborn. And he was still a Jedi. He would never completely understand how all his vode felt or how much it killed Kix to pull the plug on the kid's life support.

He was practically a murderer.

Kix had never envied the natborns before. Sure, they had more access to higher advanced medical treatments and nicer facilities but they didn't have vode. When they were treating patients they couldn't laugh or joke with them like Kix does. Natborn medics have always been strictly professional with their patients. Force, Kix's never even seen some of them crack a smile; especially Jedi Healer Vokara Che. The stern Jedi always brought a shiver down the medic's spine while working with her.

To Kix, a good laugh is as good a remedy as a bacta patch. Just another reason why he'd never felt jealous of the natborns before.

But today was different. Today, Kix actually envied the natborns. He knew he shouldn't, but he just couldn't help it.

The medic wanted to be one of them. He wanted to work in their lavish facilities and have access to all the high-tech medical supplies. He wanted to be able to save lives.

He wanted to be able to save his brothers. All of his brothers.

Kix sank back further into his chair, wiping his fingers across his wet cheeks. It had been awhile since the chief medic had last cried. But he had to admit it was rather soothing. The feeling of the warm salt water dripping down your skin, how your mind cried with freedom while your eyes bled.

Crying made Kix feel free. It made him feel vulnerable, yet strong. Afterall, one could not be a soldier without having a breakdown at least once in their life.

It's what made them soldiers.

The medic stretched his arm over his desk to a lone tissue box sitting on the corner. He latched his fingers onto a flimsy white tissue and brought it to his face, dabbing away the tears and wiping the corners of his eyes.

Kix loved to cry, but medics don't cry when they're on duty. And Kix was the perfect medic.

He placed the wet tissue down- to be dealt with later- and pushed himself up from the comfort of his office chair. With one last wipe of his stained cheeks, he opened the door and strutted confidently out.

Even if Kix longed to be inside his office again surrounded by the comfort of the soundproof walls and lone tissue box in the corner- he had a job to do.

He had to comfort his patients, even if he was crying on the inside. He had to carry his deceased brothers to the morgue, even if he was dying.

Because Kix was the perfect medic.

AHHHHH IM SO PROUD OF MYSELF!! It's been ages since I've been able to actually finish a fic and I'm soooo happy about it. I would also LOVE if some of you guys would give me ideas for the next story. I've kinda ran out of prompts... 😭

Hope to update soon!!

-Kat :)