OK. This one shot is supposed to take place right after the season five finale. It's my take on what happened to Ahsoka after she left the temple with a Luxsoka twist. Read and enjoy. Oh wait and remember that I don't own the SW franchise.
P.S. Please remember this is my first story so it won't be perfect. However, you can help me make it perfect.
Something
A Luxsoka One-Shot
Nothing.
She had nothing.
Absolutely nothing again.
The Jedi Council turned their back on her, as if she hadn't devoted over ten years of her young life to their cause. As if the ten plus years of service she had devoted to the Jedi cause were null and void. She had no known family, or at least any that she could recall of. Her father had died some years ago, during her early years as a Padawan, but she didn't remember enough about the time they spent together to mourn him. Her only friends were Republican affiliates, with the exception of one: Lux Bonteri. But, still she had nothing, he had his whole life ahead him, and she had nothing.
So, she kept on aimlessly walking as if seeking a purpose.
She pulled her hood tighter around her heart shaped face, and lowered her gaze so that she wouldn't be identified by onlookers. She carried on through the dense crowd, and bumped into others without care. She was in no mood for festivities. She was in no mood for celebration.
She had nothing.
He had everything.
Lux was at the highest point in his career and on his way to becoming a representative for Onderon in the Senate and a notable proponent to the Republic. Why would Lux help her? Yes, she had saved him from a sticky situation with Death watch on Carlac, and willingly helped the Rebel army on Onderon to overthrow the corrupt King. But, what did that mean? He had already made good on his promises by honoring his mother's name, and by seeking a more sensible route of vengeance against the Separatists through more diplomatic measures. But, why would he help someone who could not help herself?
They were just friends. He was just a boy who was expressing his interest in a girl. Lux didn't have any serious romantic feelings for her. He couldn't have since he had eyes for Steela. Besides how could he love a girl who killed his love interest? She couldn't help but feel deep down that she could've done more to save Steela's life, and that she had let Lux down. The look of uncertainty in his eyes had been so unsettling. She tried to make it up to him, but always felt like she left him on a sour note.
She hadn't talked to him since, nor heard anything about him. Now, she couldn't help, but want his companionship, because he always knew what to say to make her feel better. Truth be told, she enjoyed every one of their little trysts. She liked the way he made her feel like a normal teenage girl in a not so normal galaxy. He made her feel like she was wanted and needed, because every time they met she had to dig him out of a hole he dug for himself. On the same note, she enjoyed playing hero for a change.
But, now he didn't need saving; he didn't need the help of a former Jedi. What use could she be of since she severed all ties with the Republic and Jedi Council? She would be dead weight. She had no political prowess, no powerful allegiances; in other words, she was just another girl. Just a girl. When had she ever been another girl? From her birth, she was a special child with unique gifts, who never seemed to fit in with the other children. She had excelled in her initiate classes, and was chosen as a Padawan for the Chosen One at the young age of fourteen. She had fought in almost every corner of the known galaxy; she had far more experience than the majority of individuals her age and to top it all off she already died once and survived run-ins with the galaxy's most infamous on more than one occasion. She had never been an ordinary girl, but she wasn't so sure if she was an extraordinary girl anymore.
Reality began to sink in again as she tore herself from her thoughts. At this point it was pouring rain with such intensity that it was as if the Heavens had sensed the change in the Force. Ahsoka took shelter in a nearby alleyway under an abandoned food cart across from a shabby looking tavern. She turned to glance at the tavern, blinking rain drops from her eye lashes. For the first time in a while, she was cold, broke, famished and lost. She spent her last credit getting transportation here, and she had forgotten to take more before she had left the temple She cursed to herself under her breath, as she fished through her utility belt, yet again, until to come up empty. But, it was getting darker, and she needed to locate a place to stay since the streets were not a savory place to spend the night. Desperation overtook restraint, and she decided to try her luck with a Jedi mind trick.
Here goes nothing.
She kept her head down as she walked up to the tavern door; she took a deep breath as the door opened. There she was one step away from some kind of escape from the storm. Not wanting to brave the hellish rains any longer, she stepped in rather quickly. She was relieved to see that there weren't very many patrons on the lower floor. Good, the lesser the better. She didn't want to be seen, and/or recognized. She made her way over to the tavern keeper, trying to ignore the stingy smell of rusting durasteel and alcohol around the place. She looked up, ignoring the handful of eyes that focused on her as she entered.
She sat on the nearest bar stool and leaned over the counter, her face turned away from the Rodian. The dim light illuminated her silhouette, giving her a larger appearance. His eyes were on her now. The putrid smell of smoke greeted her when he leaned closer. She blinked her watering eyes, trying to blink away the strong stench of burnt cigarras. She coughed, and then cleared her throat.
"Long day? Wanna talk about it?"
His voice had a light tone. She groaned. For Force's sake, she didn't come here for small talk. She came here for a room or at least some shelter until sunrise, when she would hitch a ride out of this cesspit. Having some sleep without having to watch her own back would be a nice change.
"I didn't come here for small talk."
He held his hands out, revealing his bandaged hands, and a few missing fingers. He backed away for a moment as if offended. When he shifted she caught a glance of a wanted flier on the far wall. She ducked her head again as he turned back. Hopefully, he wouldn't recognize her.
"Or maybe you came here for a drink?"
She bit her tongue, tapping her fingers idly. He was getting warmer. He chuckled nervously, looking away from the stranger. He snapped his fingers as if he had made a major breakthrough.
"Gotcha. Oh of course, you want a room."
Ahsoka nodded slightly, her hood slipping slightly from her face. The Rodian caught a glance of her face. She was just a kid.
"You got any money, kid?"
Ahsoka lowered her voice to a whisper, raising her hand to the Rodian's eye level. She started to wave her hand in front of the turquoise alien's face. His eyes were focused on her hand. Perfect.
"You will let me stay for one night."
"I will let you-."
Ahsoka looked into the Rodian's eyes, and then bit her lip in disbelief. He was fighting back. He wasn't letting her trick him. This was almost too easy, too good to be genuine.
"-stay for one night."
"-stay for-"
He was supposed to repeat that, but he refused. His eyes became focused again and he looked at her. His lip upturned slightly. This had to be a joke. He grabbed her wrist.
"You got some nerve, kid."
Ahsoka froze. "You some kinda Jedi?"
She snatched her hand back rather quickly and started moving away, while his back was turned. This wasn't worth the risk. It was shameful to be caught in the lower levels on Coruscant. Besides, she didn't want to be reminded of her Jedi past or the events that nearly led to her execution.
"No."
He stole a glance over at the flier. He leaned over the counter to get a better look at her face. His eyes shined with recognition, but uncertainty. Ahsoka kept walking away, occasionally looking over her shoulder to check if she was being followed.
"You look familiar. If I could just put a name to a face…"
Ahsoka was almost out the back door, when a hand stopped her. It was the tavern keeper. What did he want? She had no money, no way to pay him for the room. Why was he so engrossed in figuring out her identity? It was too late for that. Before, she could think twice, the hand pulled her hood off and her face was exposed to prying eyes. Her cover was blown. She kept her back to her pursuer. She could see the gears turning in his mind.
"Look I have nothing, but the clothes on my back and this cloak. "
"I can offer you a bench for nothing."
"I just need a place to stay for one night."
"You were a fugitive. Do you know how that would affect business?"
"This isn't about that. You don't trust me. You're afraid of me"
"I'm not one to believe speculation-"
"I'll leave. I've had enough drama recently."
She turned her back and left. That was a waste of her time. She didn't get the room, shelter, or any relevant information. Instead, she just got a nice reminder of what the last few weeks of her life had been. Rather than wallow in her misery, she started walking again. She didn't know where she was going, except that she wasn't going back to the Jedi Temple or the Senate. She didn't know if she'd ever be ready to go back there.
C'mon. Don't fail me now.
She kept walking until her body couldn't walk anymore without energy. She stopped and leaned against a wall to release tension on her legs. She had been walking all day, searching for something she could only feel but not perceive. She couldn't stop now; she was so close. She took another step forward, using the Force to guide her to her destination. Her body started to move on its own, leading her down a broken pathway, past run down apartments. When her legs couldn't take anymore friction, she pressed herself against a wall so she wouldn't fall. The Force had let her into yet another alley way. It seemed the Force didn't trust her.
She sat there with her knees to her chest in the dark, dank alley way for what seemed like hours. She buried her face in her hands, and cried for the first time in years. Her life was a mess. She couldn't trust anyone, because everyone she trusted turned on her when she needed them the most: The Jedi Council, the clones, Master Plo, Master Kenobi, Master Skywalker, even her best friend Barriss. She had no one to turn to, nowhere to go, and no one to trust. She couldn't even trust herself anymore.
"What have I done?"
As if on cue, someone answered. But, it wasn't a stranger; she knew that voice. It brought her some comfort. She lifted her head slightly from her hands. It was Lux. She couldn't let him see her like this; she had to be strong. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand, swallowing a lump in her throat. She looked at him for a moment before rubbing her eyes.
"Sometimes, I ask myself the same thing."
"What?"
Her voice was hushed as he stepped out of the darkness, revealing his chestnut brown hair and striking blue eyes to the grieving Togruta. Why was Lux here? Why wasn't he on Onderon? Did he come here for her? Was she just imagining this? She had to be hallucinating from the lack of rest. Why else would Lux go out of his way to see her? Or maybe he wasn't here to see her, maybe she was just an added bonus? She didn't care. She was just glad he was here; his presence made her feel somewhat at home.
"I led you on, and pushed you away. "
On Carlac, he had led her into believing he had deep feelings for her. Then on Onderon, he pushed her away by pursuing Steela. He left her questioning their relationship. What did that intimate touch of hands in the escape pod on Carlac mean? She was so confused.
"When I kissed you on Carlac, it had been something I'd wanted to do since we first met. I just finally got the opportunity to when you started ranting about Death Watch. It was a necessity and something I wanted to do."
Ahsoka's lip upturned.
"When we touched hands on Carlac, before I left in the escape pod, I swear I wanted to stay there forever. And on Onderon, I had feelings for Steela, but at the same time I had feelings for you. I just didn't know how powerful mine were, until after you left. By then, it was too little too late."
He looked away.
There was something.
"So that's why you're here? Great, since now I'm no longer a Jedi; nothing else is in our way."
He chided himself for being so insensitive. How he could waltz in here and expect Ahsoka to be ready to move on, to want to become part of his life. She just lost her family, and everything she ever knew to be dear and true. She needed him to be a friend.
"Yes...I.I mean that's not the only reason I'm here. I was here for business at first, but then I heard from Senator Amidala about the events leading to your departure from the Order, and I thought about you...and I thought you could use some company."
Yes. She could use the company. She didn't trust being alone right now, but she also didn't trust herself around people. But, Lux had seen her at her best and her worst; he was an exception. He knew what she was capable of, what she wasn't able to do, and what she could potentially do. Their trysts proved that much.
"I came here for you. You were there for me on Carlac when my mother died; so I'm here for you when no one else is."
"Lux, I just don't think I'm ready for this. I can't even trust myself right now."
"I've always trusted you with my life, Ahsoka."
She ducked her head again, hiding her blue eyes in shame. Steela came back into mind. She could've saved Steela if she had been faster, stronger, better or maybe if she had been less distracted by her feelings for Lux.
"Far too many people have. I've let them down."
He gently grasped her shoulders. He looked into her eyes, frightened by the loss of hope in her eyes. Ahsoka always had fight, and spirit. She could always see the light at the end of the tunnel, until recently. The trial had really taken its toll on the young woman; the light was gone from her eyes and her sense of humor was dreary.
"The only person you've let down is yourself. You've never let me down. You've always protected me, and guided me. You are my friend."
"Of course, I haven't let you down. You have this romantic vision of what were supposed to be. Lux, we're either friends or lovers; there's no in between."
"Ahsoka, you're missing the point."
"What is the point?"
"I can help you trust again."
Ahsoka looked at his outstretched hand as if it were a foreign object. It was a tempting offer, but she just wasn't ready to accept. She had been abandoned so many times in her life. As a child, she was abandoned, and during the trial she had been abandoned by the people she devoted her life to. What if Lux was going to abandon her? What if she woke up one day and he wasn't there? It was too much of a risk. She would have to learn to trust herself again, before she could wholeheartedly trust him.
"Nobody trusts me, anymore. Not if they know what I'm capable of."
Ahsoka really was starting to scare him. The dead look in her eyes gave him a chill. He thought back of how Ahsoka manhandled the Death Watch on Carlac, how she beheaded several of them in one fluid motion without a doubt. She was a shell of a person.
"Ahsoka, you're scaring me."
"I was hoping you would go away."
"Now you're pushing me away. I know you don't want that; I can see it in your eyes. You want me to stay."
He got up and started to retreat into the shadows, but before he could get around the corner, Ahsoka called him back. As much as she hated to admit it, she needed him to save her from herself. She needed him to teach her how to trust. He allowed her to speak her mind without interruption.
"Wait...I may have been a little hot-headed and spoke too soon… and I…I...want you to stay."
Lux smiled to himself. He finally got her to say it. He finally got her to admit it. She enjoyed his company, and she enjoyed it when they spent time together. A little fire returned to her eyes, as she went into denial mode. She wasn't going to let him have his satisfaction. So, he decided to finish her sentence.
"-forever and ever?"
Ahsoka rolled her eyes.
"No. I don't trust myself being alone, Lux. But, I have nowhere else to go."
"So."
Why was he making this so difficult?
"Could… I…you know... stay with you?"
"Why didn't you ask before?"
He put his coat around her, to keep her warm. Her shoulders were shivering off and on during the conversation. He wrapped his arms around her stiff body. Ahsoka wasn't used to the close contact, so it took a while for her to relax into his embrace. Lux was quiet for a while as he held Ahsoka close. The rain wasn't really helping right now.
"Why are you so nice to me?"
Was there something he wanted?
"This isn't an act, Ahsoka. You're my friend. "
There was something in his eyes, tenderness when he spoke those words. She looked into his eyes to see the valor of his words; he was telling the truth. He really thought she was his friend. But, she could tell he wanted to be more. For a long time, she had wanted something more. She had secretly wanted someone to look at her the way Anakin looked at a certain senator. Because of the Jedi Code, she had never held strong to the belief that she would see that day. But, she was no longer a Jedi, so those rules could no longer hold her back. She could finally be with the boy she could never stop thinking about since Carlac. So, she kissed Lux with all the ferocity she could muster.
When their lips separated Lux smiled.
"I guess I did something right."
Now, she had something.
Rori here. How was it? Did I accurately capture Lux and Ahsoka's romance? Did you enjoy the way I depicted their romance? Leave a review below to give me some pointers.
Much Love,
Rori
