juliatheawzom3274

word prompt 5: fear

"You're going where?!" The three clones winced as Reetha's high pitched voice. They knew they had their sister's wrath coming for them. "What does Ahsoka think about this? What is she going to say?" That was another round of wrath the three were going to have to face after this.

"The Citadel is no place for a Jedi. We cannot let you take that risk. Plus, your wounds from the last battle aren't entirely healed Reetha." Fives strictly said, pointing to Reetha's very obvious bandaged arm. 

"Kriff my wounds! I'm fine and I can handle my own. I'm not letting you guys face danger alone." she huffed and sat herself down on her bed angrily.  

Rex sighed and turned to Echo and Fives. "I told you she wouldn't take it easy." 

"Hello, note that you are still in my room. Go whisper somewhere else." 

The three clones were mentally exhausted battling the hard-headed padawan. Reetha pouted and folded her arms, a clear sign that she wasn't going to stay behind for the mission. Nodding towards her bed, Rex, Fives and Echo huddled around her. 

"You need me out there," Reetha replied softly. " If it's dangerous for me, it would be just as dangerous for you." 

Quietly, Fives pulled Reetha in to hug her. It was a silent understanding that Reetha had gone through some trauma from the last battle. She had met a couple of shiny troopers and instantly clicked with them. During the battle, however, the troopers were boxed in a corner by some droids. Reetha was there defending them, but the droids overpowered her. She would have been dead if it weren't for the men taking the bullets for her. 

After the battle, she was seen cradling the new troopers, mourning over their death. Since then she's been a little overprotective of her brothers. They understood why. 

As gentle as he could, the ARC trooper smoothed Reetha's dark curly hair. "Hey there ner vod'ika (my little sister)" 

Reetha tilted her head upwards to look at Fives, still a little grumpy. "As much as we want you to join us on every mission, mostly to keep you out of trouble, this is one we simply won't risk." 

"Vod, we nearly lost you during the previous mission. It scared us to the bone and I don't want to go through that heart attack again." Echo carefully kneeled in front of the girl and held her small hands in his, rubbing his thumb on the back of her had tenderly. 

Reetha looked to Rex last. "You're not going to change your mind?" She asked hopefully. Rex mustered a small smile. "Nope. No sir.. Nope, nada. N.O" Reetha rolled her eyes and chuckled. 

"Fine." she answered after a while. "Fine. But you lot better come back to me in one piece. Otherwise I will hunt you down and bring you back from wherever you are. That includes the afterlife." She jabbed a finger at Rex's cheek. 

"What do you think guys. Seems like we're in for a lot of trouble." Fives joked along. 

Echo joined in "However will we escape her mighty wrath." 

Reetha hummed. "Deserves you. If I can't be there to protect you, it's the least I can do." 

The captain only shook his head at the three. "We best be getting rest. Got a big day tomorrow." 

Fives and Echo nodded and turned to the door, wishing Reetha goodnight. Rex ruffled her hair before leaving. Once the door to her room shut, Reetha laid on her bed and stared at the plain wall. She just couldn't push away the feeling that she needed to be there. Something was nagging as the back of her brain, telling her that something wrong is going to happen during the mission. Her instincts told her to stow away onto the mission but after her brothers visit, she pushed the dreaded feeling as unnecessary worry. 

She tried to sleep but failed miserably. Tossing and turning on the bed and tangling herself under the blanket. Her worry only became greater. If either of the three don't make it back, she'd break into a million pieces. All the worrying in her head were stopped when her room door hissed open. "Echo?" 

The trooper smiled shyly and made his way to her bed. Reetha scooted and invited him to sit. "You should be in the barracks. Rex is gonna blow his fuse." 

Echo smiled. "Yeah, he would." The two settled in comfortable silence until Reetha spoke up. "So, what's up?" 

Echo glanced at the girl who slowly sunk back into the blanket. "Do I need reason to visit my sister" He laughed. "I thought you could use some company. Seeing as in your worried mood." 

"I'm trying not to be." She grumbled. 

Echo began to remove his armor, and pulled an extra pillow that Reetha kept on her table and snuggled next to her. 

"Your sleeping over?" She asked wide eyed. Echo smirked and then pursued to squish Reetha between the wall and his back. Reetha squealed "Echooooo nooo. Stop it!" She playfully hit his shoulder. 

"Nahh. This is comfortable. First class standard. Very comfortable pillows sis. Very nice." 

The two continued to bicker, giggling away like little children. "There's the Reetha I know." Echo smiled as Reetha recovered from her laughter. Reetha was lying across his stomach, face up. "Ner vod, don't worry about us tomorrow alright. We'll be fine, I promise you." 

The young padawan quieted down. "It's just this gut feeling. What if you guys get hurt?" 

"It's an occupational hazard."

Reetha sighed and curled into Echo's side. "I'm scared, Echo. Something just seems off about your mission. The Citadel is dangerous to the Jedi and clones. I know Master Skywalker and Obi-wan would be there but I just have this...this.." 

"Fear?" Echo guessed. When Reetha didn't reply he took it as a confirmation. 

Huffing, the trooper moved to sit up on the bed against their pillows. Then, he invited Reetha for a hug to which she gladly accepted. "What do you fear?" 

Reetha clutched onto him. "I don't want to loose you. I don't want to loose any of you guys." 

"You shouldn't be attached kid." Echo whispered while gently stroking her hair. 

"I know but ever since I joined the 501st, you guys became such an important part of my life. You helped me to open up to my emotions and understand them, grow mature." 

Echo only held her tighter, his heart melting at her honest words. 

"I got something more that just learning to be a Jedi or a commander. I got a family that I love. I got brothers. A whole bunch of gangly boys." 

"Oi!" Echo tapped Reetha's head lightly. "We're lean, not skinny." 

"Keep telling yourself that, parrot."

Reetha heard the rumbling of Echo's laughter as she was still hugging him. "Reetha, let me tell you something. We live in a time of war and it does not come with a guarantee that we will all survive. As painful as it is, I can't promise you that I will come out of war, unhurt, or even survive this war. That's the reality all of us clones face. Despite that, just know that the boys and I fight so that we can come back to you and Ahsoka. The both of you we're sisters we never knew we could have and you've brightened our days so much, through the pain and the happiness. For that I thank you both." 

Reetha let a silent tear fall and hugged Echo even tighter. "I love you, ner vod." 

Echo kissed her head in a brotherly manner. "I love you too vod'ika." 

"Ahsoka didn't take the news well didn't she." Reetha asked after some silence passed. 

"Nope. How could you tell?" 

"I heard Fives' screams of terror." Echo began laughing. "That and that we are you sisters, so naturally, we'd freak out." 

---

The next morning, Reetha and Ahsoka went to see the boys off. 

"Take care dikuts." Ahsoka chirpped. 

Rex mock saluted them. "Aye captain." 

Fives pulled the girls in for a bone crushing hug and gave them a list of pranks to pull on the rest of the 501st. "Make me proud." he winked. 

"Don't give them your lousy ideas! You'll corrupt them!" Fives winced when the back of his head was slapped by Echo. "Don't get in trouble, and for the love of all that is holy, don't prank." He pointed a finger at the girls to make a point. "We'll see you when you get back. Love you guys." 

As the three walked off, Reetha turned to Ashoka. "Your sure about this?" 

Ahsoka nodded. "I kinda told Master Plo. I'll take care of them." Reetha patted the Togruta's shoulder. "Be safe alright. I can't loose my sister too." Ahsoka nodded and hugged Reetha before running off to the carbon freezing station. 

---

Reetha ran to the landing bay. Master Plo's flagship just arrived on Coruscant. The last thing she heard was that the Citadel mission went south. Her heart beated wildly as the faint images of the rescue party began to step down from the transport shuttle. 

She ran forward so greet them but immdiately shrank back when she sensed a heavy sadness hanging on everyone's shoulders. "Ahsoka.." Before Reetha could talk to her sister, Ahsoka slumped ran off. 

Worriedly she turned to the others approaching. "Master Skywalker, what happened?" Anakin looked to her sadly "I'm so sorry Reetha. I'm so sorry." He apologized. He saw Rex and Fives approaching from behind. "It's not their fault." Was all Anakin said before walking away to follow Ahsoka. 

Rex walked towards her, his helmet still on his head. Reetha noticed Fives walking away as well. 

"Where's... Echo.." tears began to well up in her eyes. Her fears were being realized. 

Slowly, Rex lifted his helmet of his head. His eyes were puffy, a sign that he's been crying for a long time. "I-He... Echo's gone. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.." 

Reetha quickly scrambled to hug Rex tightly, also crying with him. No words were exchanged among the two. That evening, Fives, Rex, Ahsoka, Anakin, Reetha and the rest of the 501st gathered in the 501st's barracks to celebrate Echo's life and mourn his passing. Candles were lit in the dark room. Silently they held hands, connecting their family together in an unspoken manner. 

"Please, don't die on me. All of you, please don't" 

---

Fear

Sadly, this was one fear Reetha could not let go off. Fives stuck by his two sisters even closer than before. The whole battalion were knitted much closer together. 

During the Battle of Umbara, Hardcase and many other clones perished. Dogma was thrown out of the army.Months later, Ahsoka left the army after being framed for a crime she didn't do. 

At the Battle of Ringo Vinda, Tup was infected by something unexplainable that made him kill a Jedi. Fives later accompanied him to Kamino to be checked. Tup died. 

Fives perished not long after when he was trying to uncover a 'plot' against the Jedi. That was the last time he and Reetha ever met. 

"I cannot be sure of what happens next, but my Reetha, my sweet vod'ika, what ever happens don't stop living. Live for Echo, live for me, for Rex and for your brothers." 

"Fives.. please don't leave me as well.." 

"I'm sorry vod. I'm truly sorry. Take this file and keep it safe. It's about the plot, the plot in-in here.." He jabbed furiously at his head. "It's in all of us. I don't have much time. I love you Reetha. We all do. Don't fear, don't ever." 

Now Reetha, General Reetha, stood at the deck with Rex, Cody, Jesse and Kix, awaiting their next mission. Through all the hardship they went by together, they feared nothing now. They couldn't bare too.