Disclaimer: I own nothing!

A/N: Okay, I understand that people are offended by swearing, no matter how minor it may be. If that applies to you, I don't recommend you read this. There are themes that people may not like, so again, if that applies to you, don't read this. Thank you!

xxx

POV: Anakin Skywalker

Something was wrong with me this week. Sure, I was recently promoted to Jedi Knight of the Galactic Republic, but something was off. I found myself speaking freely and constantly with Obi-Wan. I don't even remember half of the topics I'd brought up with him, though I think one may have been about receiving a Padawan.

I could tell that he was shocked by my words each time I spoke and I thought he might actually be catching on to what's been going on with me.

Right now, I'm sitting in my dormitory. I was alone, as usual.

I sighed, leaning back onto my bed. The Clone Wars was finally taking its toll on me. I've been drinking more to ease the pain, coming close to overdosing on tablets despite the warning of the medical droids, and I'm constantly fighting for my life every time I get onto the battlefield.

The signs of each problem were beginning to show. I complained about my head pounding, my body aching, and bruises and scars began to appear all over my body along with my constant fatigue. Obi-Wan had begun to worry about me, but I brushed it off, telling him that nothing was wrong with me.

The comlink on my wrist began to beep. I groaned, sitting up. I tapped the button. "Skywalker here."

"Anakin," Obi-Wan's voice greeted over the com. "Can you come to the Council chambers?"

"Of course I can. I'm on my way. Skywalker out." I tapped the button once again to stop him from replying.

I pushed myself off of my bed and began to leave my dorm. The only thing that came to mind was a what if question. What if they discovered my problems?

They would take away the drinks and the tablets. They might even lock me up in some cell because they believe I've lost my kriffing mind. No matter how true that might be, I'd always be addicted to falling further into myself.

I entered the Council chambers, bowing as my boots stopped in the center of the room. The only people inside of this large hall were Yoda, Obi-Wan, a group of teenagers, and me.

"Masters."

Yoda sighed, coming closer to me. "Told me that you're eager for a Padawan, Obi-Wan has. Selected a group of younglings, we have. Choose your apprentice, you must."

They have to be kriffing kidding me. Why the hell would I want to… oh. Damn those drugs…

Like I said, there's something wrong with me this week. I was beginning to forget things easily…

I nodded and stepped in front of the five younglings. Three were human males, one was a female Twi'lek, and the last one – looking to be the youngest – was a female Togruta. Each youngling stared at me expectantly. The Togruta bit her lip and began to fidget, having to touch her headtails.

"What's your name?" I asked her.

She looked up at me in fear. "Ah – Ahso – Ahsoka."

I raised an eyebrow. "Do you have a last name?"

"Tano," she whispered.

Something in her eyes told me that she needed support from another lifeform. I glanced at the boys standing beside her. They were giving her incredulous looks because she had gained my attention. "Are you looking forward to becoming a Padawan?"

She nodded quickly, shooting a terrified glance to the boys beside her. "Well, Ahsoka Tano, then do you accept my offer to become your Master?"

I heard whispered insults directed towards her, but my gaze remained locked with hers. She stared at me in awe, nodding. "Yes," she said softly.

I outstretched my arm, extending my hand for hers. She reluctantly raised her hand to grip mine. "I'm Anakin Skywalker. I'm looking forward to teaching you."

"Thank you."

"All right, kiddo. You'll be sharing a dorm with me unless you –"

"No!" she almost screamed, throwing her hands out towards me. "I – I mean… sharing a dorm with you is fine with me."

Obi-Wan, Yoda, and I stared at her in shock. I was beginning to worry about her more than my kriffing obsessions being found out. "Okay, come on, Ahsoka…"

She stepped out of the line of younglings, walking beside me. I passed Obi-Wan and he motioned for me to come closer for a moment. I turned to Ahsoka, motioning for her to stay put. I walked back to Obi-Wan and he whispered, "I'm not sure what's troubling her."

I shrugged. "I'll find out."

She was now standing outside of the chamber nervously, anxiously waiting for me. Obi-Wan handed me a collection of papers, a lightsaber hilt, and a Padawan braid. "This is all the information we have on her and the possessions for her. Good luck, Anakin."

I nodded, walking out of the chamber. As we walked down the halls, she stayed extremely close to me. Each time a youngling stared at her, she became flustered, rubbing her arm nervously.

Once we entered my dorm, she seemed to relax, but only slightly. There was a second bed on the opposite side of the room. "Okay, here are the basics. That's your bed, the refresher is over there, and anything under my bed is strictly off limits. Do you have any questions?"

It was nice to see that her eyes followed my finger as I pointed things out for her. "What's under your bed?"

"Nothing," I said a little too harshly. "I just want you to stay away from my bed, all right?"

She nodded. "Master?"

"Hm?"

"I hope I don't disappoint you…"

She walked over to her bed and sat down. I stared at her, my confusion and concern growing. "Why would you disappoint me?"

She stared down at the floor. I was taken aback and my heart tightened. This shy, little girl had such a low self esteem. I'd chosen a damaged child as my apprentice and it was now my duty to bring her up and make her face whatever demons were eating away at her soul.

Seeing as though she was going to remain silent, I sat down on my bed and opened her file. She's fifteen. Stang! She's fifteen years old and massively depressed. All right, Skywalker, it's time to put the drugs and alcohol aside for a while.

She had several injuries reported to her montrals and lekku in the last few days. I briefly glanced up to see her wince as she stroked her left lek. I put the file down on my bed, standing up. I crossed the room and sat beside her. She stared at me with a guarded, yet terrified, expression.

"Is there anything you want to talk about?"

She shook her head. "Ahsoka, if we're going to make it as a Master and Padawan, we need to be open with each other. Is something bothering you?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why not?" I pressed.

She glared at me and I could feel her frustration shoot through the ceiling. "I just can't, okay? Why won't you just leave me alone? All of you think you know me, but you don't!"

Her shouting made me upset to the point that I began to shout as well. "Don't get snippy with me, little one! I'm just trying to help you and you're being stubborn!"

"How do you plan on helping me?" she whispered.

I sighed, relaxing myself. "My mother always told me that talking about your problems helps. You can trust me, Ahsoka. Anything you tell me will be kept between us, okay? I skimmed over your file and I noticed that you've been injured several times within the last few days. Do you want to tell me how this happened?"

She stared at me sadly. "They were just training accidents. I'm clumsy and –"

"If you think I'm kriffing buying that excuse, you're wrong. You wouldn't have been selected for becoming a Padawan if that were true. I want the truth."

She sighed, pulling her knees to her chest. "I was… beaten by the other younglings."

"Why?" I asked, pained.

"They hate me because I'm the only Togruta in the class. I always did well during trainings. They say I'd be better as a slave because that's what my parents were. They hate me. Every time one of them finds me alone, they…"

She closed her eyes and small tears began to rush down her orange cheeks. "They slam me against walls. They drag me by my lekku or montrals into their dorms and they tell me horrible things. One boy took me into his dorm and almost…" her voice broke.

"Ahsoka," I whispered. She began to sob uncontrollably.

I pulled her against my side, lightly rubbing her arm. "He – he almost violated me…" she whispered. "I'm so afraid…"

"Don't be afraid anymore," I whispered, trying to soothe her. "I'll never allow that kind of harm to come to you. I'll protect you, Ahsoka. I'm going to take care of you. I promise you that, Snips."

She giggled through her tears, lifting her head slightly to stare up at me. "Snips?"

"You're my snippy, little Padawan," I smiled.

She sat up, smiling as she wiped her tears away. "Thank you, Master."

I patted her leg lightly. "Anytime you need me, I'll be here."

"Is it okay if I get some sleep?" she asked quietly.

I nodded. "Of course it is. Get some rest, little one. I think I'll –"

"Can you stay in the dorm?" she whispered quickly, sounding desperate.

I smiled warmly and nodded. "No problem. I'll be over there," I replied, pointing at my desk in the corner of the room.

She nodded, leaning back onto the bed so that she was resting on her side. I watched her wince as her lek touched the mattress. "Do you want to go to the medbay for a pain reliever?"

"What are you going to say we're in there for?"

I smirked. "I'll say they're for me so they're on my record instead of yours. Does that sound all right?"

"You would do that for me?"

She sounded shocked that I offered to do something nice for her. Seeing as though her life didn't seem all that great, I guess it was understandable. "Sure. Come on, I don't want to leave you here by yourself."

She hopped off of the bed and dashed over to me. We walked out into the hallway together. I noticed a few younglings glaring at her. Someone insulted her in Huttese, probably assuming that neither of us would understand what they were saying. Growing up on Tatooine had its advantages…

I spun around and slammed the youngling against a wall. "Would you like to say that again?"

She trembled in my grip, staring back and forth between Ahsoka and me. "If I ever hear you say anything to her again, I won't hold back next time. You can certainly expect a meeting with the Council later on today."

I released her and walked back over to Ahsoka slowly. My heart began to race as my need for the tablets began to dominate me. I groaned, knowing that I had to make it just a little longer. I had to at least wait for Ahsoka to go to sleep before I took anything. I placed my hand on Ahsoka's shoulder lightly. She flinched as my glove made contact with her skin. "Sorry," I whispered, pulling my hand back.

"Don't be. It's not you. I'm just not used to being touched kindly."

"I'll never touch you like they did. I'm not like that."

We began walking towards the medbay again. Once we entered, she stood behind me, making me act almost like her shield.

The droid wheeled over to me. "How can I help you, Master Skywalker?"

"I'd like some tablets for pain relief."

The droid hesitated. "You have been taking too many. If you take much more –"

"Give me the kriffing tablets, droid," I growled, emphasizing each word.

The droid wheeled away, bringing me a small casing of tablets. I turned around, glancing down at her. I could see the fear in her eyes. "Come on," I muttered. Damn droids. They almost always put me in a foul mood.

We made it back to the dorm without any problems. I walked to my desk and opened the casing. "All right, you're going to take two of these and it should help you."

"Are you trying to kill yourself?" she asked quickly and painfully.