Reverse of the Thaw (Book 3)

Chapter One: Glitches

Chapter One: Glitches

Sounds of battle ring out through the mists... Where was he? Felucia? Onderon? He couldn't tell, the mists kept all details hidden, the only thing he could see where his fellow brothers fighting valintly forward, with their Jedi generals out in front. The air was alive with blaster fire, and he hated that he couldn't see his foes, he ran forward, firing his pistols at any point he could dostinguish from a 'friendly'.

He was almost next to the robed figure that was leading attack, they were being overrun, they had to pull back... At the same time the robed figure turned, and the ever calm face of Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi came into view, he breathed a sigh of relief, the general would pull them back, they would live to see another day.

His relief turned to horror as the face of teh general suddenly seemed to melt away, revealing the deadly glow of a commando droids lens. The droid began cutting down clones with the blue lightsaber he once saw as a beacon. He broke into a cold sweat and began firing wildly trying to stop the monster... Then it turned on him, his blasters were jammed! All of a sudden the ground began to shake around him...

"Rex! Rex wake up!" At the sound of a voice his eyes flew open and he shot up, turning his head he came face to face with deep blue eyes. Instantly he knew what had happend, a nightmare, this had all been a bad dream.

"Rex are you alright?" Rex turned his body to look at her fully, her one hand still on his shoulder, her entire face etched in worry for him.

"I'm fine Elsa, just a bad dream." He said slowly, trying on a small smile for her benefit, and smoothing some of her loose blonde hair away from  her face.

"You were thrashing and yelling." Elsa commented, laying her head on his shoulder, her hand gripping his. Rex sighed, he didn't know what to say to that. Sure he had nghtmares from time to time, a parting curse left to him from his active fighting days. But now... Now they were getting worse, they came with more and more frequency, before he had been able to wake himself, or Elsa would manage to raise him with a single touch. Now it was to the point where he secretly worried he might hurt Elsa during the throes of one of thoes epiosdes.

"You need help Rex." Elsa said softly, but her tone was firm, she hated to see him like this, his strong will and courage brought down by his imagination.

Rex grunted at that, the help she was talking about he didn't like, or want.

"I'll be fine Elsa. It'll pass before you know it." He said, trying to put a cheerful note into his voice.

"That's what you said a week ago." Elsa pointed out, rasing her head to look him in the eyes again,

"I'm worried about you." She whispered, closing her eyes as his hand cupped her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb. Rex hated to see his wife worried, especially when it was about him. He leaned forward and kissed her gently on the lips, wishing the stress marks on her forehead away.

"We'll talk about this in the morning, we're too tired to do this now Sweetheart." He said softly, gently pulling her down so her head rested on his chest again. Elsa sighed and nodded tiredly, had she not just gotten back from a trip across the sea she  may have argued to the point, But right now they both needed to sleep, there was a Royal Ball tomorrow night and they had to be ready.

"I love you Rex." She whispered, feeling his arm snake around her waist to hold her closer.

"I love you more my Ice Queen." He answered back, kissing the top of her head before pulling to covers back over them...

The next morning the royal familu gathered in the dining hall, Rex and Elsa looked rather worse for wear, neither had really slept that night, after the nightmare Rex had stayed awake, not wanting to relive it again. And Elsa had been kept awake trying to think of ways to help her husband.

While they were rather quiet at the table the rest of the family was anything but, their own children, the twins Rexen and Winter, were five now, and were loudly arguing with their oldest cousion Aaron about who had the biggest cinnamon roll.

Normally Elsa kept order at the table, but this morning as long as no food started to fly she didn't mind. she drank her coffee while her attention settled on her younger sister Anna, who sat across from her.  Anna would have usually picked up on the rather strained look on her sister's face, but she was rather occupied helping Kristoff feed their almost two-year-old daughter Cora.

Elsa couldn't help but chuckle, Anna was pregnant again, she had always wanted a big family and was beginning to run Kristoff more than a little ragged, not that he would ever complain.

Winter finally broke through her mother's thoughts with a question.

"Momma, do we get to go to the party too?" She asked, her big blue eyes looking beseechingly at her.

"Please?" Rexen asked, his own little blonde head popping up behind his sisters black one.

Elsa smothered a smile and turned to look at Rex.

"What do you think Captain?" She asked,  Rex turned in his seat to look fully at the twins. He tried to seem serious, but teh combined looked from the two pairs of eyes melted him in a few moments.

"If they promise to behave, and go to bed before it gets too late, I don't see why not." He answered, the twins let out a joyful shout, and bounced back in their seats. Determined to be as good as possible for night to come faster.

All four grownups chuckled softly, Aaron had been to a Ball a few months earlier, and since the twins had discovered that they had been bent on being allowed to go too.

A few minutes later the family went ther seperate ways. Rex to drill with his men, Kristoff to do whatever he did now with his ice, and such. The kids shot out of the room as soon as they were excused, taking the just walking Cora with them.

This left the two sisters, at first they were merely walking together when Anna spoke.

"You look awful." She stated, the bluntness of her words being softened by the caring tone they held.  Elsa's hand flew to adjust her hair while glancing at her sister.

"Really?" She asked, Anna nodded her head fractionally before speaking.

"You look like you haven't slept in days." She replied, her quick teal eyes darting over her sister's face.

"I haven't." Elsa sighed, Anna placed a hand on her shoulder, and squeezed gently.

"What's wrong Elsa?" She asked, gently prodding her sister to open up. For a moment Elsa hesitated, she didn't know what Anna would think.

"It's Rex, he's been having terrible nightmares, and they're getting worse." She answered finally.

"Memories?"

"I don't know, it seems more than that." Elsa admitted.

"Maybe something's wrong with him." Anna suggested, Elsa looked sharply at the orange haired girl walking next to her.

"What do you mean?"  She asked cautiously.

"He's a great man, but you're forgetting he's a clone. Maybe there is something wrong with him mentally." Anna said slowly, not liking the look on her sister's face. She knew she was always touchy when it came to the mention of Rex's origin.

"I don't know..." Elsa admitted, knowing that her sister did hold a point.

"Watch him tonight, if he looks okay then maybe it's just stress. If ther is something wrong I'm sure there is someone that can help." Anna said encouragingly, before turning off in search of her toddler.

Elsa stopped at the entrance to her office, what if something was wrong with Rex? Would he be alright? Was it something that could be fixed?