Star Wars the Clone Wars - One shots

A Friend in Need

After Carlac, Kix has to teach Ahsoka about a thing called death.

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"Inhale."

Ahsoka does, following the medic's instruction without complaint.

Everything sounds normal.

Kix grunts, shifting the resonator to the front of her ribcage where the worst of the bruising is, "And exhale."

No abnormalities there either.

"You're clear, Commander." He says eventually, swinging the stethoscope back around his neck, "Just a fractured rib, nothing more."

"I could've told you that, Kix," she says, forcing a tight smile, "Anakin's just worrying."

He shrugs, snapping on a pair of gloves before unscrewing a tube of bacta, "I would worry too if one of our men faced off with the Death Watch."

She goes quiet as he smears the miracle healer over the dark bruise where a suspension cable was wrapped around her middle during her fight with the Mandalorian terrorists.

Thankfully, that's the worst of her injuries.

"All done," he says when he finishes, giving her the okay to pull her shirt back down. "I'll get a prescription of painkillers for you."

"Thanks," her smile is slightly more genuine as she straightens her shirt.

"I don't want you sparring for the next week or so." He tells her, leaving no room for argument, "Try to sleep on your back instead of your side or stomach."

He comes back with a bottle of pills. Not too strong, but good enough to take the edge of the pain off. He's fractured ribs before, and the first few days can be agonising. He prays she'll listen to his orders and not get herself hurt more.

"Take as needed- no more than four within twenty-four hours," he says, passing her the bottle. She's old enough now that Skywalker doesn't have to give permission for her to take medicine.

She takes the bottle, "Got it."

He turns away to fill out the necessary forms- "Kix?"

He halts in his tracks, looking back at her, "Yes, Commander?"

She seems to be completing her question. Kix doesn't press, he just moves to stand in front of her again and then waits.

"How much-" she cuts herself off to clear her throat, centring herself before she starts again, "How much does it hurt to be stabbed in the back with a Darksaber?"

The question catches him off guard, making him blink, "Pardon, sir?"

"A Darksaber- through the back," she repeats as if she's asking a casual question about the weather, "How much would that hurt?"

Kriff, she's serious.

"Well," he subconsciously lifts a hand to his chin, "I don't think many people survive lightsaber attacks that pierce their torso or chest area, but I don't know about Darksabers."

"She didn't survive." He snaps his head to look at Ahsoka. "She died about thirty seconds later, give or take."

This has something to do with her encounter with the Death Watch.

Kix hasn't read the mission report, and he doesn't have access to it either. When Skywalker sent Ahsoka to the medbay for an examination, all he said was that she was a prisoner to the Death Watch. She told the medic about the bruises on her wrists and ribs, but that was as much information as he got.