Anakin pushed the BARC speeder to its limit. He didn't care about the enemy or the mission anymore, he only cared about reaching his Padawan's location. The fact that she had become ill on a mission made him uneasy. The fact that he wasn't with her made his stomach churn.

It wasn't the first time Ahsoka had got sick. He'd dealt with food poisoning, flu and even viruses from bug bites. A quick trip to the Jedi Healers, a bit of rest and some medicine made the entire ordeal so straightforward that he didn't even panic when Ahsoka got a runny nose or a stomach-ache.

Now, it was slightly different. They were due to engage the Separatists in less than eight hours and he was currently five klicks away from her.

Anxiety gnawed in his gut, forcing him to activate his wrist comm, "Talk to me, Rex."

"No improvement so far, sir." The Captain replied promptly, not quite as calm as Anakin hoped he would sound. "Kix is keeping her comfortable."

He hated that phrase. To Anakin, keeping someone comfortable meant administering painkillers whilst they died. He shook his head, trying to keep his speeder going in a straight line. It was just a fever; it's not like it was life-threatening. But what if it was a life-threatening illness hidden behind flu-like symptoms, like meningitis or sepsis or-

Somehow, he managed to make the speeder go even faster. "I'm almost back at camp," he told Rex, "Skywalker out."

He wanted to ask to speak to Ahsoka, but he doubted if that would calm his fears. When people have fevers, they tended to speak a hot load of garbage anyways.

He remembered a time in his childhood when a virus broke out on Tatooine and his mother fell ill. He must've been four years old, caring for her by heating up soups that she had stored for emergencies and dabbing her face with a wet cloth. The fear of losing her was so strong that he had stolen medicine from the only apothecary in the town. Kix was a medic, and Anakin had complete faith in his abilities, but he wanted to be the one caring for Ahsoka- that was his job.

Their base camp finally came into view and Anakin didn't bother slowing down. He skidded the speeder to a stop and leapt off, using the Force to propel him towards the tent that Rex was waiting outside.

"She fell ill just as we finished setting up, General." The clone told him, hardly noticing the way Anakin was bouncing on his feet to be next to his Padawan, "I noticed that she was getting confused and had a fever, but she's deteriorated since then."

"Thanks, Rex." Anakin hit him on the shoulder before ducking inside the tent, his stomach clenching at the sight before him.

Ahsoka was lying on a bedroll, tossing and turning in a semi-conscious state. Her teeth were chattering, and her entire body was trembling despite the thick layer of sweat that covered her skin. Her shirt had been rolled up to her ribs, and Anakin felt a hint of irritation to see her leggings had also been removed, but he remembered Obi-Wan stripping him down to nothing when he had a fever in his Apprenticeship.

"How is she?" Anakin knelt beside Kix, taking Ahsoka's clammy hand in his. She seemed to stir as she recognised his touch and blinked half-lidded eyes at him. He could feel the heat of her palm through his glove, and that was concerning. Togrutas were always cooler than humans.

"Her fever isn't going down, sir. None of my meds are making a huge difference." The medic scratched his head, sighing, "I suppose we could try an IV."

Anakin knew why Kix was hesitant, "I can keep her calm enough whilst you do that." He promised.

The medic, now assured that he wasn't at risk of being thrown with the Force, started to prepare a needle. Anakin squeezed Ahsoka's hand so her slightly unfocused eyes stared into his.

"Hey Snips." He sent comforting and relaxing waves through their Force bond as Kix used an antiseptic wipe on the inside of her elbow.

In her delirious state, Ahsoka didn't fully recognise him. "Master Plo?"

"It's Anakin, little one." He squeezed her hand again as Kix signalled to him that he was ready to proceed with the IV. "You've got yourself sick, but you'll be okay. I'm with you now."

She didn't even flinch when the needle was pushed into her arm, and Anakin felt relief pour off Kix as he hooked up a bag of fluids, holding it between his ear and shoulder as he worked.

"Feel sick..." She murmured, weakly looking around the tent, "Where's... Lux?"

His eyes widened to their own accord, "Lux?!" Anakin quickly tampered down on his erratic emotions, "Why do you need Lux Bonteri when you have me here, Snips?"

"Hopefully, the medicine will kick in soon." Kix said quietly, hanging the fluid bag onto a mobile IV stand for the field. "Try to keep her hydrated and get her to rest. If it's all the same to you, General, I'd like her to sit the battle out."

Anakin nodded as the medic stood up, "Get Rex to contact Admiral Yuleran for a medical evac."

"Yes, sir." Kix saluted, "I'll only be one tent over, so call if you need me."

With the medic gone, Anakin gave Ahsoka all of his attention. She was looking up at him, a sly smile on her lips, "What's on your mind, Snips?" She probably wasn't thinking straight, but Anakin wasn't going to pass up the opportunity for some blackmail material.

"When did you have your first kiss, Master?"

His eyes widened again; how did she know what a kiss was? She was still looking at him expectantly, so he coughed, "Uh, I'll tell you when you're older."

Laughter bubbled out of her, "Lux was my first kiss..."

"Oh, really?" There was a high likelihood that she was lying, but that didn't stop anger from rushing through his veins. "That's not very Jedi-like, Snips."

She laughed again before stopping suddenly and huffing, "He only did it to shut me up."

"He what?!" He was starting to wish Bonteri did come back to Coruscant with Ahsoka so he could give the scumbag a piece of his mind. Yes, Ahsoka usually didn't know when to shut her mouth, but nobody had an excuse to use their lips to stop her. "Do Bonteri and I need to have words?"

"Please." She twisted so she could see him better from her position on the floor. He was glad the medicine was working, but it would've been nice if it put her to sleep as well. "Could you ask him if... if he likes me, Master?"

Anakin chewed his lip, remembering how desperate he had been for Padmé's attention and approval when he was a Padawan. He picked up a canteen and unscrewed it, "You should have some water, Snips."

She pathetically pushed his hand away when he tried to sit her up, "Promise, Anakin... please."

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose with his other hand. "No, Ahsoka. You deserve someone better than Bonteri." A proper Jedi Master was meant to give their student the lecture about attachments at this stage, but Anakin wasn't a proper Jedi Master, and he also wasn't a hypocrite.

Her expression was crestfallen, "But he-"

"Dragged you to Carlac to make friends with the Deathwatch? You know, the Jedi murderers?" He tried to contain his anger- he really did, but his efforts were futile at best. "Force, sounds like love, Snips."

Her reaction wasn't one he was expecting, and it only proved to him that Ahsoka was quite unwell.

Her eyes scrunched close and she started to wail, thrash and cry. The only time Ahsoka had cried in front of him was when Coric made a joke that she would need her leg amputated due to a small scratch. After dealing with her tears then, Anakin had a long chat with the Sergeant-medic, and he hadn't been seen near Ahsoka since.

Now, she was upset over a boy. A scumbag of a boy. Anakin had never seen such a display of emotion in his entire life. He stared at his tantrum throwing Apprentice before he realised that the clones could probably hear her.

"Hey, hey, calm down." He scooped her into his arms, being mindful of the needle in her arm, and started to stroke her head tails which usually calmed her down. "I didn't mean it like that, Snips, don't overreact."

"You... You..." He tore off his glove and touched her forehead. Kriff, she was too warm still.

"Soka." He soothed, harbouring Master Plo's nickname for her. Anakin started to rock her slowly, like his mother would after one of Watto's beatings. "Calm down, little one, don't cry."

"You don't think Lux likes me?" Her eyes were tear-glazed as she looked up at him, but at least she wasn't screaming anymore. "Do you?"

"Now, now." Anakin refused to lie just to make her feel better, especially when it came to that son of a- "You're a good, kind person, Ahsoka. And for a girl, you're beautiful as well." He tapped her nose, making her sniff, "Lux on the other hand is posh, snobby, rude, stuck up and blah, blah- I could go on all day." Her smile faded into irritation, "All I'm saying, Snips, is that one day you might meet someone who is deserving of you."

"Really?" The fever was still slurring her speech, so he tried to ease it out of her mind with a little bit of Force healing.

"Really." He reassured, using one arm to keep her sitting upright and taking the open canteen with the other. "Open up; doctor's orders."

This time, she complied and drank a little water. Anakin praised her and laid her back down just as Rex appeared, "Medical evac's on its way, sir. General Kenobi's on the comm."

"Medical evac?" Ahsoka repeated.

"I told you, you're sick." Anakin said, resting a hand on her forehead, "Now, rest."

The sleep suggestion knocked her out almost instantly and Anakin laid a wet cloth over her forehead before he stood and walked past Rex. "She's a good kid." The Captain murmured, just loud enough for him to hear.

"She sure is." Anakin glanced back at his Apprentice who was snoring quietly, "We got lucky with her."

"All the men got freaked out when she collapsed on us. Jesse nearly had a panic attack." A smile flickered across Rex's lips before he looked at Anakin, "I'll watch her over whilst you speak to Kenobi, General."

"That'll be good," because even though she was stable and resting in a well-protected tent, Anakin still didn't want to leave her unless she was boarding a gunship to head back to the Resolute.

He walked towards R2D2 who was projecting a hologram of Obi-Wan, "Why, hello Master."

"Anakin, how was the scouting mission?" Obi-Wan finally looked up from speaking to someone and instantly frowned, "What's wrong?"

Was he that easy to read?

"I had to cut my patrol short, Master." He rubbed the back of his neck, "Ahsoka got sick back at base, so I came back," he admitted a little sheepishly, already sensing the lecture that would be coming.

Instead, Obi-Wan just look concerned, "Is Ahsoka alright?"

"She's resting." He glanced at the tent she was inside and then looked back at the elder Jedi, "A transport's on its way to take her ship-side. She'll be fine, but she's not in a fit state to fight and she'll recover faster on the cruiser."

"I've just boarded the Resolute." Obi-Wan said, "I'll greet her when she arrives."

"Thank you." Anakin sighed, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. Ahsoka would be fine for a day or so with her Grandmaster. "Oh, one thing, Master!"

"Go on."

Anakin felt his hands clench into fists as he remembered his conversation with Ahsoka, "If she mentions a boy of the name of Lux Bonteri, feel free to give her a lecture about the dangers of attachment."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow, "Can't you educate your Padawan about Jedi ideals?"

"I was saving that talk for you, Master Obi-Wan, as it seems to be your favourite." He smiled sweetly.

"Wait a minute! Isn't Lux Bonteri the Separatist Senator's son who-"

"Got to go, Master, see you later!" Anakin cut off the transmission before Obi-Wan could say another word. "Oh, Snips, you're in for a long chat with your Grandmaster."

R2D2 beeped in agreement.