"What's the plan master!?" Ahsoka deflected each beam of light with a tilt to her lightsaber, Anakin was a few meters away from her, doing the same thing as he tried his best to protect the men behind him. The dusty planet made it difficult to see and breath, every footstep of droid and clone alike sending plumes of dust into the air, making it coat every exposed orifice on the Jedi. It was almost night on that planet, and the droids were just a few steps away from completely over running the clone and Jedi army.

"Get to the gunships!" sounds like a simple plan. But it wasn't, the gunships were almost a mile away, right where Obi-wan was defending the ships so they could continue to take the injured men away and bring back new troops to help the battle. And since there was hundreds of battle droids and other machines between them and the gunships, it was going to be a little bit hard. And they both knew it.

"But master!"

"Now Ahsoka! I'll cover you!" Ahsoka was only able to spare an uncertain and frustrated glance over to her master before looking forward again, slowly pushing forward to led her and her men to the gunships. She heard a quiet grunt of approval from Anakin before he started to push forward as well. Together, the Jedi pair deflected each blast they could, trying their best to angle their light sabers so they could return the blast and destroy the droid who shot it. As soon as they were close enough, they threw themselves at the droid. Taking them down with a frietening speed while performing their usual acrobatics. Their men were right behind them, taking down the droids at their own pace.

"Anakin! Where are you?!" Obi-wans, voice came out of Anakin's commlink, who was somehow able to find the time to answer the call.

"We're on our way! we'll be there in a few minutes!"

"Well hurry up Anakin! We can't stay here for more than five minutes!" Anakin gritted his teeth at the news before snapping back.

"We'll be there!" without waiting for Obi-wans response, he hung up and started to hurry up, pushing his men to go faster so they could all make it back to the Resolute. They all still had a lot to do before they could even think of letting themselves fall in the battlefield.

The sight of a second blue blade was visible now, along with the yellow and white armor of the 212th, making hope surge through all of them and renew their vigor.

"Come on men! We're almost home!" the clones all let out an excited shout at their Generals news and kept on trudging forward. Hope sparking in their chest as they realized that they were almost home and that they were so close to coming home with all of their brothers. Because at the moment, not a single man had been left behind, making this one of their most successful missions yet, one of their most disastrous missions. They weren't going to complain, a mission where everyone survives is a successful mission.

The Jedi pair let hope surge through them, letting out the smallest sigh of relief before getting back to work on the droids, giving their all to make sure they would be able to bring everyone back home safely. The ground rumbled under their feet again, it was not the first time, but this time, it was different. And for the first time in a long time, the force seemed beam in excitement.

Anakin was the first one to sense it.

Ahsoka and Obi-wan sensed it at the same time but before they could do anything, Anakin was already in action.

Anakin planted his feet on the ground, his hands lifting as he used the force to pick up every organic being around him and push them towards the gunships. The men and Ahsoka all let out their own surprised noise as they were roughly thrown at Obi-wan and his men. There was a flare of surprise from Ahsoka and Obi-wan as she started to fly towards her grandmaster.

"Master!" Ahsoka struggled to reorientate herself midair, making a sloppy landing that would have broken something if she was a normal Togruta. Leaping to her feet, she stood up just in time for Anakin to see her.

"Anakin!" Obi-wans voice penetrated through the battle field, being louder than any other being, the hidden fear and desperation shining through.

Anakin smiled at the two of them, a very relieved smile that was joined with Anakin pushing every ounce of relief, joy and love through their bonds. The smile remaining on his face even as he was hit by a blaster from behind, even as the earth cracked under his feet. Even though his face scrunched up in pain and fear when the ground beneath his feet disappeared, revealing a massive sinkhole that was getting deeper by the second, he was still focused on the rest of his lineage. He never tore his eyes from them, even as droids fell into the pit with them.

Anakin's side of the bonds were wide open now, letting Obi-wan and Ahsoka feel every bit of love, relief, fear and acceptance as Anakin fell into the sinkhole. Rocks hitting him on the way down, but he never looked away from his padawan and master.

"NO!" Ahsoka scrambled towards the sinkhole, ready to jump down there to try and save her master, to save her brother and best friend. Obi-wan caught her, restraining her from jumping to her death, even though he wanted to go down there as much as she did.

"I'm sorry Ahsoka," the voice of her master made her stop, time seemed to slow down in that moment, a gentle smile on his face," I am so proud of you, you have grown so much. I'm sorry I won't be there to knight you." Horror started to set in her when she realized why Anakin felt acceptance earlier.

"Thank Obi-wan, thank you for giving a little slave boy another chance at life." Obi-wan tightened his hold around Ahsoka, trying his best to control his emotions as his eyes started to well up with tears. "Take care of the girls for me. " the only thing she could do was stare at Anakin as he finally disappeared into the depths of the sinkhole. Anakin communicating to both Obi-wan and Ahsoka as he did so, trying to push as much emotion he could through their bonds.

"I love you."