It had been one year since Rex had last seen Ahsoka. One year since Kanan was blinded. One year of watching Ezra struggle with his dark side. It had been a hard year for the entire squadron, but mostly for the small little inner circle that Rex worked with.
He didn't think things could get much worse then losing Ahsoka. She had been beside him for years, worked with him not only in this war but the last as well. It had her idea to bring him into this one and he willingly followed her. She always came back until the day she didn't.
Now everything they had all worked so hard to get, the thing she died for, was lost once again. So many people, Rebels had died in Thrawn's attack on Chopper Base. Including Commander Sato. Once again what was left of the Rebels were uprooted and forced to leave their home. At least this time they had somewhere to go.
As the Ghost drifted in hyperspace and no one but the droids were talking to him, Rex couldn't help but think about Ahsoka.
How much would she love to be here? How proud she'd be of what the rebellion had become. Even in the face of defeat they were able to stay strong and continue to fight. Each day it grew bigger and stronger just like Ezra.
Rex wiped his eyes as he started to hum.
"It's been a long day without you my friend and I'll tell you all about it when I see you again. We've come a long way from where we begin. Oh, I'll tell you all about it when I see you again. When I see you again."
Memories of the first time he met her flashed through his head. The confusion over who's padawan she was supposed to be. The way Anakin refused to take a padawan, insisting that she was Obi Wan's. She insisted that her assignment was to be his padawan. She was feisty and spirited. It was clear she could never make it with Obi Wan as a master. Anakin was different though. Rex could remember the first words he said to her. How ironic that the last words he ever said to her were the same.
"So if I'm a Jedi and you're a clone then I out rank you?" a young Ahsoka asked him several years ago.
"In my book experience out ranks everything." he repeated out loud.
"Then I definitely out rank you." an older Ahsoka replied. Her last words to him.
"Damn, who knew all the planes we flew, good things we've been through, that I'll be standing right here talking to you about another path. I know we love to hit the road and laugh, but something told it wouldn't last. Had to switch up look at things different see a bigger picture. Those were the days. Hard work forever pays. Now I see your in a better place."
Rex looked back in the direction everyone else was in. Kanan had walked through here a little bit ago. Rex knew he was going to talk with Ezra. This crew was more than just a rebel cell. Ahsoka had known that when she sent them to recruit him. He had seen it from the second that he met them. The way Kanan protected not only his padawan, but Zeb and Sabine too from the three clones. Ezra's trust in Ahsoka, his willingness to remind his master of their assignment, and what it required him to do.
Rex was now part of that family. A family Ahsoka had quickly become part of, but took him a while to earn the respect of before he could join as well. She spoke on his behalf. He would forever be grateful she did. They had all lost family before, and yet together they made their own.
"How can we not talk about family when family is all that we got? Everything I went through you were standing there by my side, and now you're going to be with me for the last ride."
Memories of all the battles they fought together. The time she lost an entire squadron trying to get past the blockade over Ryloth. He never realized but without her he might not even be on this ship. Hera might not be here if they hadn't gotten through.
Chopper beeped. Rex remembered hearing the story about how Hera had gotten ahold of the old droid. That killer droid was probably part of Ahsoka's troops. If it hadn't been for her failure Hera would have never acquired him and he wouldn't be on this ship.
"It's been a long day without you my friend and I'll tell you all about it when I see you again. We've come a long way from where we begin. Oh, I'll tell you all about it when I see you again. When I see you again."
Kanan and Ezra walked into the room. Rex would never admit it, but the master and padawan sometimes reminded the old Clone of Anakin and Ahsoka. The bond between a master and padawan was unlike anything he had ever experienced himself.
"First you both go out of your way and the vibe is feeling strong and what's small turns into a friendship. A friendship turns into a bond, and that bond will never be broken, and that love will never be lost, and when brotherhood come first then the line will never be crossed. Established it on our own. When that line had to be drawn, and that line is what we reached. So remember me when I'm gone."
Rex remembered all the laughter he shared with Ahsoka, with Anakin, with all his brothers. All lost to him at some point. They had been his family for as long as he could remember. They still were. Now the Rebels are his family. He still had many battles and laughs to share with them.
"How can we not talk about family when family is all that we got? Everything I went through you were standing there by my side, and now you're going to be with me for the last ride."
The hardest days for Rex had always been the days he had to let Ahsoka go. When she had been framed for a crime she didn't commit. When she left the Jedi order. The day they both faked their deaths and went their separate ways in order to survive the Jedi purge, and that horrible order. Then finally that day she left with Kanan and Ezra for that final mission.
"So let the light guide your way. Hold every memory as you go, and every road you take always lead you home."
Someday everyone could go home. One day everyone would be free to return to their true homes. Where his was anymore Rex couldn't be sure. Hopefully he lived that long. Maybe this was his home.
"It's been a long day without you my friend and I'll tell you all about it when I see you again. We've come a long way from where we begin. Oh, I'll tell you all about it when I see you again. When I see you again."
"Someday we'll see each other again my old friend." Rex said out loud.
"Talking to Ahsoka?" Kanan asked.
Rex turned to look at the Jedi and his padawan.
"Yeah, I miss her. She'd be so proud of how far we've come." he replied.
"We do too." Ezra said.
"Not as much as me. You don't know how much we went through together." Rex commented.
"Actually you just sang about it. Care to talk about it buddy. We could use a few stories to lighten the mood." Kanan replied.
"I'll be happy to share." Rex responded with a smile.
