Anakin sits in his quarters, stiff as a board, his feet planted firmly on the floor, his hands gripping his knees. His comm-link chirps. Ahsoka. Anxiety chewing through his stomach lining, he answers it, the hologram of Ahsoka appearing in front of him, vibrant enough that she could have been here with him.

Her face softens when she sees him, and he notices her lekku are a little longer; a confirmation that time has, indeed, passed. They can't pick right up where they left off. He forces himself to smile, his lips twisting uncomfortably over his teeth, hoping it doesn't look like a snarl. He's not mad at Ahsoka – not anymore.

"Anakin," she says softly; he can tell she's giving him a thorough once over, but he doesn't flinch as he does the same to her. Whatever he must look like on the other side, at least Ahsoka looks whole, healthy, a little worn down from whatever the kriff it is she's doing on Mandalore, but blessedly alive, and here, not two feet in front of him, so close that he could almost reach out and touch her.

"Obi-Wan said you wanted to talk?" he says. He arches an eyebrow, tries to put on a little gravitas for her, but it feels forced to him, and Ahsoka knows him better than anyone; she sees through it, but smiles. "Surely whatever help Obi-Wan could have provided you in your private call with him is more than anything I could ever do." Too far. Too far past cocky and annoyed with a mentor, all the way past his usual brand of charm into bitterness. If Ahsoka were in the room with him, he knows she would smack him for it.

As it is, she glares half-heartedly at him. "Maul is Obi-Wan's problem, dummy," she snips. Anakin's lips twitch almost against his will. He knows he's being unfair. "And…I didn't want to ask him questions about Satine in front of everyone."

"I was just joking, Snips, relax," he chides. Still too much heat, too defensive, but if Ahsoka notices, she doesn't say anything to him. An almost imperceptible shake of her head; the sway of her lekku could have been a momentary glitch of the hologram – their connection breaking up for a fraction of a second. Not surprising, considering the distance between them, solar flares, and other completely unknowable galactic interference between here and Mandalore. Only – it's Ahsoka. She knows him better than anyone, and he knows her.

At least, he knew her.

"So, what did you want to talk about then?" he asks. Uncertainty fills the space between them. Palpable. Suffocating.

Ahsoka swallows and purses her lips. She looks past him, not meeting his eyes. "I wanted to explain," she says. "And apologize."

"You have nothing to apologize for, Ahsoka," he says stiffly, shoving down the months of resentment that resurfaced the moment Ahsoka's image at appeared on the bridge that afternoon. And he believes it. He's promised Obi-Wan and himself, over and over again – and this hatred, he can't hold onto it. It's not Ahoska's fault. The Council drove her away. She shouldn't –

"Anakin," she says softly. He unclenches his fists. Her faces softens, searching for something in his. "I needed some time away from the Order. I just need you to know it has nothing to do with you."

"I know," he chokes, his heart tightening. "I don't blame you. I – I just missed you." His eyes sting, but his blood is roaring in his ears. He swallows his rage, and the thundering pounding of his heart. The Force pulsing through his veins like a poison, whispering lies to him about the past. About the future. How things would be different if Ahsoka was here with him.

"I missed you too, Skyguy," she says. Her eyes glistening. The rage subsides a little, enough for him to smile at her.

He takes a shaky breath to hide a sob in a cough. "I know you think you did the right thing, but we could really use the manpower."

"I'm kinda busy cleaning up Jedi messes without Jedi resources, so…" Ahsoka shrugs. "I guess it seems like you owe me."

More than you know, he thinks, but Anakin only nods. "You always have our help, Ahsoka. And a home."

She smiles. "I know, Anakin. I love you, and I'll see you soon."

"Bye, Snips," he says, as her hologram winks out, his "I love you" dying on his lips.