Title: Made to Fall
Characters: Anakin, Rex
Summary: "A lot of the generals plans involve falling."

General Skywalker's plans often involved falling from dizzying heights and at a speed that made Rex's stomach want to escape through his mouth and cling to the floor. "Why, sir?" Rex choked out when he and Skywalker were still two rookies trying to prove their mettle to the Grand Army of the Republic.

"You don't like falling, do you, Rex?" Skywalker asked.

"No, sir."

Skywalker gave his shoulder a pat. "You'll get used to it."

Rex never did get used to that dizzying, nauseating sensation but Skywalker never stopped employing it either. So, Rex dealt with falling in elaborate plans and daring escapes. Even harder and more nauseating was when he wasn't the one falling at all. It was just Skywalker streaking toward the ground with typical abandon.

"Just be ready to catch him when he falls," General Kenobi advised.

"You seem to be used to this, sir."

"Playing catch with Anakin as the soaring object? Yes, I'm afraid I do have a bit of experience."

Later, they watched Skywalker stand on solid ground. Rex asked, unable to prevent the twist in his gut, "Do you ever think he'll fall too hard one day?"

General Kenobi's tiny smile froze on his face.

Rex stiffened. "Sir, I just meant - ."

General Kenobi interrupted him. "Yes. Yes, I do." His smile was gone, replaced by a frown.

Rex watched his general elude an approaching medic. He spoke to the men instead. Congratulating and boasting at the same time, he turned the battlefield setting into nothing but a backdrop to the 'daring exploits of Anakin Skywalker and his fearless troops – with help from the very young padawan'. Commander Tano huffed and argued but remained part of a captivated audience.

"I'll catch him," Rex swore.

But General Skywalker was…himself, recklessly brave and dangerously aggressive, constantly in motion while barely thinking about where he might step and when the ground might give out beneath him.

"We need reinforcements, sir."
"Yes, we do."

"Shouldn't we wait for them?"

"That sounds boring."

Skywalker refused to come to a stop. More and more, he began to live like he fell. There were dizzying heights of glory and vicious joy followed by sudden streaks toward the rocky bottom of his psyche. Nobody could predict where one would lead to the other and, soon, General Kenobi's frown created lasting lines in his skin and Commander Tano was sent on more solo missions than Rex privately thought she was ready for.

"Do you know what you're doing sir?" Rex asked.

"Winning a war," Skywalker answered easily.

"Do you know what I'm doing, sir?"

"Nope."

"I'm ready to catch you."

Skywalker looked over with hard eyes, almost mocking. "How is that going?"

"Badly, sir." Rex looked back at him, needing him to understand just a little. "But I'm still here."

Skywalker held his gaze and he understood just that small bit. His grin was cocky but his eyes were soft and, for just that moment, he stopped plummeting.