Unexpected

chapter thirty-eight: counter

Author's Note:

In light of all the excitement about the new Disney+ series', I've decided why not share another chapter.

[I have way too much energy and too many thoughts for it being 12 in the morning :)]

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A knock on the door wakes the couple up the next morning. Elara squints as her eyes adjust to the light and Fives groans.

"El, you in there?" Rex's voice asks.

Elara swings her legs over the side of the bed but Fives pulls her back. "Why is Rex here?" He asks.

"I don't know." She admits. "C'mon, get up."

"Elara?" Rex knocks again.

"Coming!" She calls, prying herself free of Fives's grip.

The door slides open to reveal Rex in his full armor and Elara motions for him to come in. His eyes find the half-conscious ARC Trooper in her bed and he raises an eyebrow.

"Fives." He acknowledges the man. He's figured that Fives had been spending his time here after Echo's death—it was the only logical explanation as to why he was never in the barracks—but he'd at least expected them to hide it.

"Morning Cap." Fives rolls over, turning his back to the two of them.

"I wasn't aware that you two were.. Involved." Rex motions between Elara and Fives.

Elara's eyes widen. "Oh! No, we aren't .. It's just easier for me to sleep when he's here."

Fives raises an eyebrow as he listens, his back still turned to the two.

"Did you need something?" She asks the Captain.

"Yeah uh.. I'm leaving for Kadavo in, well a few minutes." He clears his throat. "I wanted to make sure that you were okay after yesterday's news."

Elara forces a small smile. "I'm alright." She lies. There's so much that's far from alright in her world. "What's on Kadavo?"

"The Zygerrian Slave Empire." Rex explains. "I'm headed there with Generals Kenobi and Skywalker as well as Commander Tano."

"Three Jedi?" She asks. "It must be pretty serious."

Rex sighs. "I'll be back before you know it." He assures her. "Don't get into too much trouble while I'm gone."

Elara stifles a laugh as she hugs her friend. "No promises."

Rex leaves the room and heads to the hangar, where he's meeting the rest of his team. Elara sighs as she sorts through the dresses in her closet. A pair of arms snake around her waist as a head leans down to rest on her shoulder.

"So we're not involved?" Fives asks as he breathes down her neck, sending chills down her spine. "Because I thought we both admitted on Akiva that-"

"We agreed not to tell anyone." Elara cuts him off as she turns her head to face him.

A soft smile creeps across Fives's face. "So we are involved?"

Elara rolls her eyes as she laughs and pushes him off of her.

"Why don't we lay back down, the sun is barely up." Fives says.

"I have a meeting with the Senator." Elara reminds him. "Maybe later."

"Is that a promise?" He smirks.

Elara throws a pillow at him to shut him up before locking herself in the bathroom to get ready.

*

"There's no way we'll be able to decode this transmission without a chip." Senator Organa sighs. "Our best intelligence and droids have all tried and failed."