Preface

Originally, this story started as a one-shot titled Where the Heart Is that focused on Ahsoka's thoughts as she jumped from the drain pipe at the end of the episode The Jedi Who Knew Too Much. When I chose to do something similar the following week after To Catch a Jedi, I changed this story into a two-shot that focused on Ahsoka's thoughts and mindset at the end of each episode.

I reformatted the story again in early 2014 and I've revised it once again in 2015 to include this preface and reformat to be more consistent with my current writing style.

Acknowledgments

Very special thanks to the Walt Disney Company for Star Wars characters and concepts.

Special thanks to Soft Cell for the chapter title, epigraph, and inspiration for the first chapter that comes from the song Where the Heart Is.

Special thanks also to Real Life for the chapter title, epigraph, and inspiration for the second chapter that comes from the song Send Me an Angel.

Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

"You're the one that's getting the blame."

[…]

"They started to show / some concern / but by then / it was too late."

—Soft Cell, Where the Heart Is

"I know you do. Wish me luck," Ahsoka said.

Those were her last words to Anakin as she leaped out of the drain pipe. Fortunately, she landed on top of a ship descending into Coruscant's underworld. As she looked up at her master's face, her decision to jump apparently surprised him.

He shouldn't be too surprised. I couldn't surrender with armed clones coming to kill me, even if he promised to protect me, she thought as she continued to pace anxiously along the top of the ship upon which she landed. This was one time where she was glad she was skilled at Force leaping.

As the ship continued its descent and her master's face faded from her sight, she found herself flooded with emotions even though Jedi were supposed to keep them under control. How could she control her emotions, though, when she felt more like a hunted animal than a Jedi Padawan? There was no way anyone falsely accused and betrayed as she had been could remain calm, was there? It wasn't long before her mind raced with various thoughts.

Why is Tarkin blaming me for everything? Did he forget I saved him during the Citadel mission? Ahsoka thought. She didn't know why he was so quick to accuse her for things she didn't do—crimes she would never commit. She also wondered why she didn't snarl at him when he caressed her chin while she was detained. No male deserved to touch her in that fashion, let alone him.

As she thought about this, other details of what happened came to mind. When she planned to walk out of the prison, she encountered the dead clones. Why didn't anybody realize they died well before she discovered them. She also realized the same thing was true during her escape. She saw lightsaber wounds on three more clones. She couldn't have done it, but who did? Still, the fact everyone immediately assumed it had to be her left her teen mind unnerved.

Ahsoka then found herself thinking, Why didn't Anakin do more for me? He's the Chosen One! Why didn't he get my side of the story first? And why did the clones set their weapons to kill? I saved some of those guys! She wanted to believe she didn't hear the orders, but she could hear them clearly through the ventilation system thanks to her enhanced Togruta senses. She wasn't a violent cold-blooded criminal. Why were the clones told—if not ordered—to treat her as such? True, they eventually switched to firing stun beams at her. Yet, she remained convinced she was going to be executed by clones in cold blood, without any type of trial—without any chance to try to prove her innocence. Surely, someone would realize she couldn't have done most of what she was accused of doing if they looked at the facts objectively and didn't jump to conclusions so quickly. Tears formed in her eyes, but she ignored them.

Why didn't the Jedi do anything to investigate this? Master Yoda or Master Windu should have done something. Do they really think I'd do what I'm accused of? Why didn't they give me any kind of support? raced through Ahsoka's mind. Now, she felt the tears streaming down her cheeks, but she was too emotionally spent to care.

She wondered what the Jedi Council even knew about the situation. Did Tarkin tell them the lies, too? Were they smart enough to see through them? Would they have the sense to address the accusations logically and look for evidence, just like Anakin and she did when they investigated the bombing. Despite the rumors a Jedi had to be responsible, they conducted a thorough investigation and caught a suspect. Unfortunately Letta was murdered before she could tell anyone what really happened.

Ahsoka's next thoughts centered on Anakin's last words before she leaped. She hoped he was being honest when he explained he was denied access to her cell. His desire to help moments ago was sincere—she sensed it herself. But the clones heard their voices, and they started to close in on her again. She wanted to join her master. He said he believed her. Maybe he could convince Tarkin he was making a mistake. Maybe he could convince the council there seemed to be a larger conspiracy afoot. But it was a moot point now. Once she saw the clones, she knew she couldn't go with Anakin. She was convinced they would kill her the first chance they had, maybe even her master as well. At that point, she felt it was too late for him to help her in any meaningful way.

You've always been capable of seeing things clearly... rang through her head next.

Barriss was right. But at the moment, Ahsoka didn't know what to think. She knew it was only a matter of time before the search for her would continue. And if the Jedi remained convinced she was the horrible criminal she was made out to be, they would easily find her by tracking her Force signature.

Ahsoka did her best to dry her tears. The ship's descent slowed down as it reached the lower levels of the underworld.

Alright, Barriss, I'm going to figure who's doing this to me. I have no idea what to do, what to look for, or where to look, but I'll live up to your expectations—or die trying, Ahsoka thought.

Ahsoka always considered Barriss a close friend, maybe even her best friend. She knew Barriss wouldn't be happy to learn about her fleeing to the underworld, but Ahsoka couldn't let her best friend down. She would get the desperately-needed proof of her innocence. She would show everyone why she had to make a run for it. But most importantly, she would meet Barriss' expectations of her as a friend. There was no margin for error or failure now.

As Ahsoka leaped off the ship and ventured off on her own, she was more aware of the fact she only had one lightsaber. She could only hope that wouldn't be a problem should she be pursued again or have to ward off the sleemos that frequented her new environment.

Let's hope I don't have to stay here very long, she thought.

Now, she had to trust herself to come out of this largely unscathed.