Author's Note: Thank you for your patience. I know this chapter is a bit shorter than the previous one, so I apologise. Thank you for all your support so far! It's been incredible. I love how passionate people are about this story angle; I'm excited to explore it. I hope you enjoy it. I find it quite concerning, however, how harshly Padme has been judged so far. Please have some perspective. She's doing what she thinks is right. Whether she's actually right or not is a whole other matter, but she's doing it out of duty to the Republic, not malice towards Anakin.

This story will mainly follow Anakin's POV, but sometimes Padme or Obi-Wan will be the focus of a chapter. This is going to be a very lengthy, drawn out story, so I hope you're all in for the long haul. I will try to update frequently, but juggling so many other stories and three jobs and university makes it difficult to be timely. I apologise in advance.

Please enjoy this next instalment :)

Jedi Temple, Coruscant

20 BBY

A very disgruntled Anakin Skywalker stormed through the peacefully slumbering Jedi Temple, leaving wet tracks in his path. It had been raining, which he'd only realised once he'd left the depot, and, as he'd been on his speeder, his robes had soaked through, leaving him cold and wet and more aggravated than he had been to start with. A hard frown was etched on his face as he made his way towards his chamber, trying desperately not the wake any of the other Jedi. He was meant to be back hours ago, but after his falling out with Padmé, he'd resigned to tinkering with the Twilight in an attempt to keep his mind occupied.

It hadn't worked.

His melancholia had soon morphed into anger, and his irrational state had made him work aggressively, lashing out on his poor freighter ship with uninhibited fury. Several windows had been broken when he had thrown various tools in his rage, which had made him curse and growl at his own stupidity as he began to fix them. By the time he had repaired all the self-inflicted damages to his ship, Anakin was more worked up than he had been when he started, and the pouring rain hadn't helped.

When he finally reached his chamber, he wrenched open the door and immediately began stripping out of his wet robes, leaving a haphazard trail as he made his way towards his bed. By the time he was completely naked, half the floor was covered in damp cloth, but he didn't care. All he wanted was to sleep. Pulling out a pair of sleep pants from the drawer beside his bed, he yanked them up until they rested on his hips and pulled back his covers.

Just as he had sunk into the mattress, the warmth soothing his wet skin, the door to his chamber opened. With a grumble of annoyance, he lifted one eye open, to see the silhouette of his Padawan in the doorway. Great, he thought bitterly to himself. He'd woken Ahsoka – possibly the last person he wanted to see at that moment. Because she was bound to ask questions and he didn't feel like answering them.

With a groan, he shut his eye again. "Go away, Snips."

She ignored him. Of course she did. If Obi-Wan had thought Anakin had been a difficult Padawan, it was nothing compared to Ahsoka. Perhaps it was because they were so similar that it frustrated Anakin so much. She was smart, quick-witted, outspoken in her opinions and trusted her instincts regardless of the orders she received, even if her instincts proved to be correct more often than not. Of course, he loved her and their bond was almost stronger than his bond with his former master, yet, Ahsoka was not someone he wanted to talk to at that moment.

Instead of obeying his request like a good Padawan, she entered his room, shut the door and heaved a dramatic sigh. "Where were you, Master?" she asked, and though her face was cast in shadow and Anakin's eyes were closed, he swore he could see the annoying, knowing smirk on her face.

"None of your fucking business, Snips," he snapped brusquely, wanting nothing more than for her to leave him alone to his thoughts and his meditation. "Leave me alone."

He could sense her frustration through the Force, but the petulant huff that followed his remark was proof enough of her disproval of his demand. Anakin didn't even need to open his eyes to know that she was standing in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest, large turquoise eyes narrowed stubbornly.

"Fine," she growled. "Wallow in your own self-pity. I don't fucking care." She turned on her heel and made to walk out, when Anakin sighed deeply.

"Snips," he called to her, voice weary and tired. "Come back here."

When her face reappeared in the doorway, Anakin opened his eyes, a small smirk playing at his lips at the furious expression on her face. "Obi-Wan was right," he teased. "You are too much like me. So melodramatic, Snips."

She didn't appreciate his banter, however, and merely scowled at him, lips pursed into a thin line. "If that's your attempt at an apology…" she threatened, tapping her fingers against her arm as they were crossed over her chest.

"I'm sorry," Anakin apologised, sincerely. He hadn't meant to lash out at her, but he'd been angry and frustrated and she'd been the first person he'd come into contact with. It had felt better to blame her than to curse his own naivety in believing that Padmé would want to be with him. "I didn't mean to snap at you, Ahsoka."

With a small nod, his young Padawan stepped inside, closing the door behind her with a wave of her hand. She came to stand beside his bed and Anakin took a moment to appraise her. No longer was his Padawan the young, excitable, energetic fourteen-year-old girl she'd been when she'd first been assigned to him. Ahsoka Tano had grown up. Yes, the physical changes were the most obvious; she was taller, her striped lekkus has grown longer and pointed horns more pronounced, her face was angled and sharper, her body now held the curves of a women rather than the slimness of a young girl. But Ahsoka had changed far more than just her appearance. Now, she was a warrior - battled-hardened, wise, fierce, strong. She'd seen the same horrors that he'd seen, was plagued by the same nightmares he was. The expression on her face made her seem a lot older than her seventeen years. With a pang of guilt, Anakin once again marvelled at how much the war had changed everyone he loved – his Master, his Padawan, his lover…

Perhaps Padmé was right. Perhaps a ceasefire would do some good in the galaxy.

"I could feel you, you know," Ahsoka informed him, sitting beside him. "Through the Force. You weren't doing a very good job of shielding your emotions, Master."

Anakin fixed her with an annoyed frown. "Now you're sounding like Obi-Wan."

Ahsoka grinned cheekily, and it made Anakin smile at how young she looked, much like she had so many years ago. He missed that Ahsoka – he missed her teasing and her banter. "Well, someone has to knock some sense into you, Master," she teased, quirking her lips into a smirk. "What would Master Kenobi say if he saw you right now?"

Rolling his eyes, Anakin contorted his face into a frown resembling that of his former Master's. "Be mindful of your thoughts, Anakin," he muttered, imitating Obi-Wan's voice. "They betray you."

The Togruta sniggered and shook her head. "Have you had practice with that, Master? That was spot on."

Grinning impishly, Anakin shrugged his shoulders. "There's been one or two occasions…"

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" she asked again, changing the subject so quickly that Anakin was impressed with her skill… and annoyed. His Padawan was quick witted, he had to acknowledge that. "Or do I have to weasel it out of you?"

Scoffing a laugh, Anakin fixed her with bemused smirk, lifting an eyebrow. "I'd like to see you try, my young Padawan," he teased.

Ahsoka fixed him with a serious expression. "You're having an affair with Senator Amidala, aren't you?"

He shot straight up, eyes widening in horror. Did she just… surely not! How did she know? "Ex-excuse me?" he spluttered, trying to feign innocence but Ahsoka merely rolled her eyes, not having a bar of it.

"Oh, please, Master. I know. The two of you are sleeping together."

Anakin scowled at her and shook his head adamantly. "I don't know what you're talking about. Padmé and I are – "

" – just friends," Ahsoka interrupted, mocking him with a smirk. "Yeah. Right. You don't have to pretend with me, Master. I won't tell anyone. I promise." Her face suddenly grew serious again, and Anakin knew that she was being honest. His Padawan was more loyal to him than anything. There was no doubt in his mind that she would keep his secret hidden, but still… to actually admit it...

With a sigh, he nodded his head slowly in defeat, seeing no logical reason in trying to deny it to his Padawan. "How…?" he asked weakly, barely lifting his head to meet her gaze.

"How did I find out?" Ahsoka smiled at him. "Master, you're about as subtle as a Gungan."

"That's comforting, Snips," he grumbled, wondering how many other Jedi knew of his relationship with Padmé.

She laughed and dismissed his fears with a wave of her hand. "Oh, don't worry. No one else knows. It's only because I spend so much time around you. I see the looks you two give each other when you think no one's watching; and how you both conveniently go off together to talk about the mission. Oh, and I've caught you once or twice," she added, screwing up her nose.

"What?!" Anakin roared, his face flushing hotly with embarrassment.

Ahsoka held her hands up in surrender, a look of pure disgust on her face. "Hey, it wasn't something I wanted to see, trust me," she shuddered. "But seriously, Master? The fresher on the Twilight? Couldn't you have had your little… rendezvous somewhere else? Somewhere without me?!"

"Well… it's not like we planned them, Snips," Anakin snapped defensively, crossing his arms. "S'not my fault you decided to come snooping."

Rolling her eyes, Ahsoka laughed darkly. "I didn't have to snoop. Padmé is quite… vocal. From what I hear, you're quite the lover, Master." She sniggered, waggling her eyebrows at him and Anakin glared at her, shooting daggers. He did not want to have this conversation with her – not now, not ever. She was his Padawan… a child still. It was so, so wrong!

"Ahsoka!" he groaned in embarrassment. "You shouldn't be talking about this. You shouldn't even know about this." He grit his teeth. If anyone got wind of this… if anyone else knew – he could be expelled. And, yes, he'd often contemplated the risk, throwing it all away, but that was with the object of marrying Padmé still in his mind. Now that she had refused him… he didn't want to lose his life as a Jedi as well. He couldn't do that to Ahsoka, or Obi-Wan. They were his family. They needed him, and he needed them, too.

She gave him a sweet smile and placed her hand over his. "I won't tell anyone, Master. I promise. But…" she sighed, fixing him with a pitied expression. "You should tell Master Obi-Wan. He would want to know."

"No," he shook his head, sadly. That thought had already crossed his mind, when he'd first started engaging in a relationship with Padmé. He felt guilty keeping something this monumental from his former Master, who was like a brother to him, but he knew Obi-Wan. He was the most honourable and noble Jedi in the Order; had never put a foot wrong in his entire life. And Anakin greatly respected him for it. But it meant that he couldn't tell him… because Obi-Wan would feel it would only be right to inform the Council, and then Anakin would be in a worse position than if he just kept it to himself.

"I can't tell him. He wouldn't understand."

Ahsoka shook her head in sympathy. "Master, he loves you. He would want to know. Besides, it not like you're the only Jedi having an affair. Master Fisto and Master Securra have been sleeping together for years," she added matter-of-factly, as though that changed everything.

Anakin only sighed. He knew about Kit Fisto and Aayla Securra's relationship. They were not the only ones either; many Jedi or Padawan's had similar physical relationships with other Jedi, simply for relief. It wasn't unheard of. In fact, the Order encouraged such relationships, as a stress-reliever, particularly during war time. But Anakin's relationship with Padmé was different. It wasn't simply for sexual relief – they loved each other. They had an attachment. Attachments of any kind, were forbidden by the Order – something his former Master had continued to drill into him for years.

"That's not the same, Ahsoka," Anakin countered miserably. "Padmé and I… it's not for – well…" he felt awkward talking about releasing sexual frustration with his young Padawan. Despite how much she had grown up, he still saw her as the little girl she'd been all those years ago. Rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably, he decided to continue. "Padmé and I… we – we love each other. I'm in love with her, Ahsoka. I have been since I was a Padawan."

"All the more reason for you to tell him, Master."

Anakin shook his head and ran a hand through his hair in defeat. "There's nothing to tell, Snips. Not anymore. It's over."

She blinked at him in confusion. "What do you mean, it's over?"

"Padmé and I aren't seeing each other anymore." Ahsoka reached over and gripped his hand tightly, for support. "I mean, I should have seen it coming. She's married, after all."

"I'm sorry, Master," she said softly, her large turquoise eyes wide in concern.

He gave her a weak smile. "S'not your fault, Snips."

"Still," she sighed. "I know how much she means to you."

Never had Anakin been more grateful to have his young Padawan that at that moment. She was just the support he needed to get over Padmé. It would be painful, and it would take time, but he was glad that she would be with him, to help him get through it.

She read his thoughts and squeezed his hand again, more firmly this time. "I'll always be here, Master," she told him. "You're not alone. We're family, you and I. You may not have Padmé, but you'll always have me. And Master Kenobi. We love you, Master."

"Thanks, Ahsoka," Anakin said with a smile. "I love you too." The bond he shared with his Padawan was like his bond with Obi-Wan – unbreakable. They'd experienced too much together, shared each other's thoughts, saved each other's skins. "Besides, I've got other things to worry about, anyway. And so do you. We're going off to Dantooine tomorrow, remember."

A teasing smirk tugged at her lips. "Of course I remember. But are you sure you can handle such an important mission? Or are you too emotional?"

Her tease made him roll his eyes. This he liked, better than the sappy, sentimental stuff. Playful banter and teasing came easy to him. "Watch yourself, Snips," he teased, "Or I'll give you something to be emotional about."

Laughing, she stood up from beside his bed and rolled her eyes. "Sure, Master." She made to leave, looking over her shoulder as she reached the door. "Sleep well."

"You too."

Anakin lay back against his pillow and shut his eyes, trying desperately not to dream of Padmé.