AN_ This is not Dellcat. This is a crazy person who has taken over because she wouldn't update. JUST KIDDING but that's what it feels like right? Sorry it's taken so long. I have had SO MUCH stuff to do this summer which is when I planned on writing. I was in two musicals that ran at about the same time plus I had a job counseling at a theatre camp. But no more excuses. I'm going to write. Write write write write write!

And now. I can proudly present.

LEFT WITH NO DEFENSE

AHSOKA POV

I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling. I was laying in bed, covered in sweat. I had just woken up from another nightmare. Yes, I thought that things were finally looking up since we had captured the Chancellor, but then he had escaped. I felt like it was attacking my mental health, the whole ordeal. And I suffered through it in silence because everyone wanted it to be over so badly that I pretended it was. Physically, I was completely healed. There weren't that many scars and the pain was completely gone. But mentally. I shuddered at the thought.

How could anyone think I was okay? I had been tortured. He had tried to invade my mind. He had killed me. I was dead. And then the sister came back and I felt a rush of power. It was almost familiar and I assumed it had something to do with what happened on Mortis that my master refused to think or talk about. And then, I had tried to kill him. That was something I never wanted to feel again. Sure I had killed people before but this was different. It felt…wrong. Like I wasn't in control of my body or my emotions. And it felt like I had attacked because he had hurt me, not because of any obligation to the Republic.

I wanted to forget. I wanted so desperately to forget. And I wanted to think that I would be okay. I didn't want to be scared anymore. So much had happened these past few months that it felt like someone else was in control. They were writing my story and the main goal was to cause me pain.

I wanted to rewind.

But I couldn't.

I stood up and scrubbed a hand down my face, wiping the sweat from my eyes. I decided to take a shower, hoping to wash away they nightmare. The water was hot, turning my skin red as I scrubbed it raw. When I got out, I got dressed and went to the mess hall. I sat down and remembered the last time I was here. I was with Rex and the clones. We were about to leave for Mustifar. And I had panicked.

I shook my head, ridding myself of the thoughts.

Just forget it.

Rex sat down in front of me. "Hey Soka." he said and I smiled. He had finally learned to drop the formalities.

"Hey Rex." I tried to sound like I wasn't tired. I failed.

"Are you okay?" he asked. I debated whether or not to tell him about the nightmares. Biting my lip, I shook my head.

"No. No I'm not." I whispered. "It's just. Everything that has happened. I don't know how to handle it. I'm having nightmares and I can't sleep."

"Did you tell General Skywalker?" I shook my head again.

"He'd be upset. Everyone wants this to over. We are pretending that I never tried to kill myself, that I was never captured, that I was never dead." he flinched away from that. "And I can't pretend. I'm scared Rex. He is out there. And he wants me dead. I wouldn't be as scared about it if he hadn't killed me already." I got really quiet, thinking. "I was lucky I was brought back. But I can't always be lucky."

He put a hand on my shoulder. "Look kid. I know you're scared. What you've been through, it's horrible. But we do want to forget. Because it hurt more people than you think. We all care about you Soka. The boys, they think of you as their little sister. It's hard for us to watch you hurt, but it is harder to know that we couldn't do anything to stop it." I looked him in the eye. "It will get better though. I promise."

I smiled at him. "Thanks Rex. Maybe talking about it helped."

I stood up from the table and walked to one of the windows so I could look at the stars. If I couldn't forget, I'd learn how to cope. After a while, I decided to go find my master.

ANAKIN POV

I sat in my room, staring at the wall. All I could think about was Ahsoka. I could sense something was off about her. She acted like she was okay, but she wasn't. I decided not to push it, because if she wanted it to be over and she wanted to forget, I would help her and pretend everything was okay. I sighed. How could any of this happen to poor Little Soka. She was just a child. She shouldn't even be in this war.

I stood up and decided to get something to eat. When I walked in, I saw Rex sitting by himself and he looked like he was lost in thought.

"Hey Rex." I said sitting down. "What's new?"

"I just talked to Ahsoka." he said quietly. "She definitely isn't okay."

"Why? What did she say?"

"I think that's something she needs to tell you herself. But don't pretend that this is over. Don't pretend she isn't in danger."

I nodded and ran out of the mess. I had to find Ahsoka. After five minutes, I ran into her. Literally. We both fell to the floor laughing.

"Master!" she shrieked through her laughter.

"Sorry Snips." I helped her up. "I think we need to talk."

"Yeah. I do too."

We walked back to her room and she sat on her bed while I sat on a chair. We sat in silence for a minute, deciding what to say and how to say it. She started talking first.

"Master. Why do you pretend that nothing happened? Why do you think that if we don't talk about it or acknowledge it, it'll go away?"

"When I found out you were missing…I felt horrible. I felt like it was my fault that it happened, because I let you storm out. And then when I found out the Chancellor hurt you, I lost it. I had trusted him since I was a small child, and he had hurt one of the people I loved the most. You, Padme, and me? We're a family now, and he threatened both of you. I lost it." I had told her about being married to Padme when she was released from the med bay. "I felt like I could have prevented this whole thing. I felt so guilty. So I pretended it didn't happen. I hoped that it would go away. And I thought that was best for you. Now I see that I am wrong. I shouldn't pretend it didn't happen because it did. And you aren't out of the woods yet, because he's still out there."

She looked down at her hands. "I was pretending I was okay because I thought that's what you wanted. But I'm not okay."

I stood up and sat down next to her. "Ahsoka I know you're worried. And I'm sorry I don't know how to help you. Because this isn't you. And this isn't me. When we met, we weren't scared of anything. We were reckless and ready to rush into battle. Now all I want to do is stay out of it, so I can keep you out of it. But don't worry. Someday, it'll all pass. Once we capture Sidious, the war will be over."

She sniffed and I hugged her tightly. She let out a choked laugh.

"Alright, enough of this mushy feeling fest. Let's go spar. Race ya!" she jumped up and ran out the room. I stood there for a minute and laughed.

"That's my girl." I said quietly before running after her.

AN_ Alright this started out nice and simple, but don't worry. The drama and fighting you all come here for will happen soon. Wow didn't this sound like it should be the last chapter of a story? How will I top it to wrap up this trilogy? I know exactly what I want to do with this story (and the whump won't be as bad I PROMISE) so it's time to start uploading. Thanks for waiting!