Anakin sat on the transport staring off into space, he had troubled thoughts on his mind but he was trying to shield them. Ahsoka sat on a knee and wiped R2-D2 with a rag, she carefully washed away swamp mud from the planet they had just recently visited. Anakin had crash landed after fighting off a handful of droid fighter ships. Ahsoka got the last of the mud and looked over at her master, his familiar furrowed brow, breaking his strong masculine face. His eyes seemed lost and confused, but frustration lay there as well. Ahsoka knew Anakin had a different method of going about things that often caused him anguish, but this time it was different.

"You know," Ahsoka aimed, "As much as you're trying to block your thoughts I can read you like an open book."
Anakin broke from his trance with a startled glare; he looked over at his padawan. He cleared his throat as if to say something but didn't, he turned away from Ahsoka and ran his hands through his hair.

"Well R2, you're as good as new," Ahsoka smiled as the robot beeped in reply, "Go recharge."

R2-D2 beeped again and scooted down the ship's hallway. Rex and a few other clones were at the bridge and Ahsoka decided to join them. Normally she would have pried Anakin for answers but this time it didn't seem right.

"Ahsoka," Rex called upon seeing her at the doorway, "How's Skywalker?"

"Head in the clouds," Ahsoka said quietly, "Are we on course?"

"Jedi Temple next stop," Cody interjected.

Ahsoka took a seat and tapped a ration button, as much as she didn't want space food she took it anyway. She definitely couldn't wait until they landed back on Coruscant to get some food, she had a feeling Anakin wouldn't be hungry for a few days again. Sometimes Ahsoka wished her master wouldn't get so hung up on things, it was certainly not the Jedi way and it caused such a rift between them at times.

"What's up Ahsoka?" Rex asked softly, sitting next the padawan, "you seemed rather troubled for a Jedi."

"I'm just worried about Anakin, he's distant again."

"I wouldn't worry about that, he'll come out of it."

Ahsoka looked down at her hands.

"It's different this time, somehow it's just different."

Rex left it on that note and put a comforting arm around Ahsoka; she smiled at him and then returned to the back of the ship. Anakin was pretending to read clone reports, Ahsoka knew better and didn't disturb her master. She lay down on the floor and wrapped herself into her cloak.

When Ahsoka awoke Anakin was nowhere to be found. Ahsoka rushed through the ships doors and onto the loading platform, Rex came chasing after her.

"Ahsoka," he flustered out of breath, "General Skywalker left this for you."

He handed her a written message, rare to be coming from Anakin. She looked over the message.

Go to the Jedi Temple and stay in the quarters until I contact you.

-Skywalker

Ahsoka was very confused by this message, and had a strange twinge of sadness strike her core. Anakin never left impersonal messages like this before. It was so distant of him that Ahsoka felt a few tears brim into her eyes, she looked away from Rex.

"He's instructed me to take you to the Temple," Rex said gently.

Ahsoka took a large breath and attempted to push the emotion away and clear her thoughts. She followed Rex to yet another transport and clutched her handle so tightly that he knuckles wore white. She stared at the floor and didn't listen to the banter of the radio.

The sun was beginning to set as Ahsoka entered into the Temple, she said goodbye to Rex the best she could. Somehow Skywalker's order to stay in quarters gave Ahsoka the impression her training was over, and Anakin wanted to go solo again. Ahsoka was so lost in solemn thought that she was startled by Obi-wan's voice.

"Ahsoka," his smooth calming voice called, "how are you?"

"I'm troubled Master Obi-wan, I need to clear my thoughts...I-I," her voice caught, "Maybe I am to young to be a padawan," She choked back her fear of losing her status.

Obi-wan touched her shoulder gently and guided her to a secluded part of the hallway. He knelt down to be at eye's level with her.

"Tell me what is troubling you?"

"Anakin has put me in quarters here, he must be rejecting me as a Padawan," she yelped.

Obi-wan laughed very gently in a serene way, he meant no tease only compassion. He placed both hands on Ahsoka's shoulders and stared into her eyes with reassurance.

"He won't reject you because he cares too much to give you up. Yoda certainly won't let that happen nor will I," Obi-wan smiled as Ahsoka lifted her head a little higher, "You'll be staying in my quarters because the younglings have full rooms. Oh yes, this is very new the temple, quite a surprise to have so many possible Jedi. Are you hungry?"

"Very," Ahsoka sighed with relief, at least Obi-wan's quarters would give her privacy.

There were muttering voices when Ahsoka opened her eyes, it was still dark. She turned her head to listen closely but she found herself creeping out of bed to her door. She pulled the handle towards her which allowed the door to open slightly; a beam of light lay across her face.

"You must take her on Obi-wan," Anakin's voice sounded frantic.

"I will do nothing of the sort, you must train her, she has accepted you as her master."

"Obi-wan please, I beg you, something has come up."

"What is that? Padame? I wish you hadn't formed an attachment to her, you get so caught up at times, it's perfectly dreadful the way you carry on. "

"You don't understand, it's not Padame, its Ahsoka...," his voice dropped.

Ahsoka gasped her eyes darting as her heartbeat rose.

"What? You don't like her, she's not ready? What is it?"

"I've formed...," Anakin broke of midsentence.

There was silence for a very long time; Ahsoka grabbed the door handle for support. She couldn't see Anakin but she could see Obi-wan, he stood back and stared at his old apprentice.

"Anakin," Obi-wan finally spoke, "You've got to break the attachment to her, and you must do that without breaking off your commitment to train her."