Chapter 25 – Back to Tatooine

DISCLAIMER: We do not own Star Wars or any of the characters in it, though we wish we did. xD

Author's Note: In which Anakin and Ahsoka leave for Tatooine, and have some moments together. ;)

~ Amina Gila

Ahsoka remains crouched in the shadows, waiting. She can sense the unfamiliar Force signature heading towards her and surmises that it belongs to Ferus Olin. She'd met Ferus a few times since she became Obi-Wan's Padawan, but she knew Siri far better. And she can sense Rotta approaching as well. That means Anakin must be facing Siri. She really hopes that the older Jedi isn't killed, being Obi-Wan's friend and all.

Her mission is to slow Ferus down or stop him and take Rotta if possible. She'll do her best to make Anakin proud. When he gets closer, she can feel his footsteps with her sensitive montrals and leaps out from her hiding spot, whipping out her lightsabers as she lunges towards him. She's gotten much better, and she thinks that she can outlast him, especially when he's trying to protect Rotta from harm. He won't take nearly as many risks as usual.

His blue lightsaber is blocking her initial strikes before she even has a chance to blink, not that she's surprised. He is a Jedi, after all. She can feel his surprise echo out into the Force. "Ahsoka? What –?"

She interrupts, unwilling to let him ask her anything which might unbalance her. "Give me the Huttlet." She keeps her tone perfectly steady, narrowing her eyes at Ferus, and she's secretly proud of how determined she sounds. Her lightsabers are held out defensively, but she doesn't move to attack him again. If they fight, he'll have to make the first move. Or if he tries to leave with Rotta, she'll attack.

Ferus frowns. "No," he declares firmly, drawing back a step, "I'm taking him back to Tatooine."

Ahsoka gives him an unimpressed look. "Really? Then, why did you kidnap him?" she asks skeptically. "No, I won't let you kill him." She raises her lightsabers again, bracing herself for a fight.

"I didn't," Ferus protests. She can almost see the gears turning in his head as he tries to figure out what's going on. Slowly, he points his lightsaber at her. "You did though, didn't you." It's not a question. "You're in league with Dooku." He sounds almost hurt, but Ahsoka shakes it off. She has far more important things to worry about than one person's feelings. She's never really liked Ferus much anyways. He was always too much by-the-book for her liking.

"I am not working for Dooku," she counters, watching the Jedi warily and keeping her back to the hallways which he'll have to pass through to reach the back landing platform where the Twilight is waiting. If he gets on the ship, she suspects that Anakin will want it – and Rotta – destroyed. Jabba will be furious at the Jedi; the death of his son will not easily be forgiven. But she doesn't want the Huttlet to die, so she'll have to tread with caution.

"Move out of my way," orders Ferus, a hint of coldness in his tone.

Ahsoka raises an eyemarking in response and braces herself. He doesn't disappoint her, lunging towards her. She parries the blow, bringing her shoto blade around to strike at his side. He dodges, swinging towards her right arm, but careful to keep Rotta – who is fussing noisily now – away from the blades. They continue to exchange blows, the pace of the duel slowly picking up as he gets a feel for her fighting style and tries to counter it enough to disarm her. She doubts he'll actually kill her… at least not right now.

"I cannot believe that you, of all people, would do this," Ferus hisses as she holds up both lightsabers to block his downwards strike. "What would your master say?"

"He's proud of me," she throws back, faltering when she realizes that while he was referring to Obi-Wan, she automatically thought of Anakin. Her momentary distraction is enough for him to twist one of her lightsabers away and push her back with the Force. She catches herself, rising just in time to block a strike which might have taken off one of her lekku.

Ferus scoffs. "I very much doubt that, unless he's Fallen too."

"I'm not Fallen!" she yells at him, calling back her other lightsaber and forcing him to duck at the ignited green blade shooting towards him. Rotta wails even more loudly as the backpack he's in hits the stone wall. Her anger surges at the implication that, because she's touched the Dark Side – which is true – she has given in. She doesn't even think twice before pulling on the power her anger offers.

For a moment, Ahsoka realizes that she can understand why Anakin enjoys this power. It's thrilling, giving her a rush of energy which she knows will allow her to possibly defeat Ferus. And she's enjoying it. She's doesn't know what it says about her, or what the implications will be. In a way, she's pleased, because this was her choice. Sidious didn't force this on her. Maybe this is what Dooku has been trying to teach her ever since she ended up on Serenno. The Dark Side is dangerous if misused or overindulged, but it can be used for good just as easily as for evil… It's something she definitely needs to think about later.

"Then, why," Ferus demands darkly, "Are you using the Dark Side?"

"There is no Light Side. There is no Dark Side. There is only the Force," she recites calmly, letting the Force flow through her without any resistance. Her emotions strengthen her connection, letting her act as a conduit.

Ferus swings towards her. "You've allied with the Sith," he declares firmly, "And if you refuse to turn back, then you will be destroyed."

"That kind of attitude is why I did!" cries Ahsoka, each word punctuated by their sabers clashing together. She raises a hand, pushing him backwards down the hall. He skids before catching himself and leaping towards her. Their duel continues until he Force throws her down the hallway. She lands hard, lightsabers falling from her hands. She rolls aside as a blue saber pierces the stone where her head just was. He swings again, and though she calls back her own blades, she doesn't think they'll reach her in time.

A dark, familiar, welcome presence flares, fury sweeping through the Force, and Ahsoka swears that she can feel the temperature plummet. Ferus senses it too, because he pauses abruptly, whirling to look behind him. Anakin stalks forward, lightsaber hilt clenched in his hand, yellow eyes narrowed threateningly. Ahsoka has never been so relieved to see him in her life.

"I will forgive your transgression against my apprentice only this once," warns Anakin, and a shiver of delight runs through Ahsoka when she hears his words. Apprentice. He considers her his apprentice. And it goes without saying that he trusts her not to betray him. She won't.

Ferus opens his mouth to reply, when Anakin raises a hand and clenches it, leaving the Jedi clawing at his throat as he tries to breathe. "Ahsoka, please relieve him of the Huttlet," Anakin says casually, as if they're discussing something no more important than the weather. She doesn't hesitate to pull Rotta from the backpack, shushing him with the Force. Anakin throws Ferus backwards, and there's a crack as his body slams into the rock.

Anakin motions for Ahsoka to go ahead, and they hurry down the pathway, quickly reaching the landing platform. She slips into the pilot's seat while Anakin guards them to ensure no one follows. He'd given her permission to fly as long as she's careful. The Twilight lifts off, flying away from the monastery and the planet. It's not long before Anakin approaches, eyeing Rotta with visible disgust before lifting him off the seat and sitting down.

Ahsoka lets herself relax with the first half of the mission having gone as planned. The Dark Side slips away as she reaches to the Light, drawing it in. She feels different now, though she can't quite say how. It's – it's as though she's finally been able to recenter herself somewhere in the region between Light and Dark. She is neither. She can be neither. But she can be both. She's gray now, and only time will tell what repercussions that will have.

She shakes herself out of her thoughts when she sees the space battle up ahead, diving down to avoid running into it or being shot. Thankfully, the Republic starfighters seem far more focused on attacking the vulture droids than going after one lone shuttle. It helps that the Jedi have both been presumably rendered unconscious so they cannot inform anyone that they lost the Huttlet.

"Programming the navicomputer now," Ahsoka announces, punching in the information for them to get to Tatooine.

Anakin only hums in reply, still eyeing the Huttlet with revulsion. Ahsoka can understand that sentiment, even if she doesn't share it. She knows – from Dooku – that Anakin and his mother were slaves to one of the Hutt clans before being sold in a bet. Honestly, she can't even imagine what kind of life that must have been, so it's no wonder that he's irritated at returning to Tatooine. She would be, too, if she was in his situation. Just as the first Republic ships begin taking an interest in them, she pulls the lever, making the jump to hyperspace.

"You claimed me as your apprentice," she comments once they've settled down for the journey and switched places, with her taking Rotta.

Anakin arches an eyebrow. "I did," he agrees with a tad too much cheer in his voice. "I sensed it when you touched the Dark Side and accepted it." He studies her critically, a hint of approval in his expression. "You have done what Jedi claim to be impossible, Ahsoka. You've found the way to control the Force in its entirety."

"Oh. I – I guess I did," she smiles. "What about you? Can you…?"

"Use the Light Side?" he surmises, lips quirking. "Is that what you're trying to ask?"

Ahsoka nods a bit hesitantly, knowing that his use of the Force is a sore subject. She really doesn't want to upset him by accident. He tilts his head, studying her with some unfathomable emotion in his gaze. "Dooku told me how the Jedi do it," he says finally, "And Obi-Wan elaborated, but I wouldn't be able to find anything resembling calm." His voice is light, but when his mechanical hand fists, she knows that, despite the blankness of his emotions in the Force, it's difficult for him to talk about.

He turns his head away for a moment, and Ahsoka thinks that he almost seems ashamed. She can understand why. The Jedi called him the Chosen One, the one who would balance the Force, and if he can't even draw on the Light Side… yes, she can understand it, though she has no idea how he can deal with it or how she can help him.

"Anakin…" she whispers, unsure exactly what she's planning on saying, but trying to find something, anything, which will assure him that she doesn't find him lacking even if he'll never be able to draw on the Light the way she and Obi-Wan can.

He looks back at her, an odd sereness in his blue eyes, still holding an emotion in them which she can't quite read. She feels him touch her, tentatively at first, but then with more boldness. She nearly gasps at the sensation, at the purity of the light which washes through her. It's not the same as she might feel from a Jedi, which is to be expected. Anakin is anything but a Jedi.

"Anakin," she breathes, amazement and awe taking her breath away as she can feel Anakin reaching into the side of the Force which has always been forbidden to him. "You –"

He gives her a charming, yet smug, smile. "I know," he says simply, expression brighter than she's ever seen it. She's struck suddenly by the realization that this is how he would have looked, had he been a Jedi: eyes a clear blue – without any lingering darkness – shining with affection and contentment, the center within a storm.

"You bring out the best in me," he admits, the light neither fading nor wavering. "You and Obi-Wan both." He shakes his head slowly, and Ahsoka can't look away from him. He would have been an amazing Jedi, the best Jedi. She can see that image even more clearly now: her and him acting as an unstoppable force on the battlefield, their mutual sibling bond holding them together. She wants to hug him, but with Rotta in her arms, that's impossible right now.

"How?" she wonders. "I thought…"

He reaches out to squeeze her shoulder and chuckles. "Light emotions help channel the Light Side, Snips," he explains. "I never really tried it until now because it's hard to let go of everything else. It's… surprisingly nice." He sounds mildly surprised by the realization. "It kind of feels incomplete though, as if I'm missing something else." He looks thoughtfully at the streaks of hyperspace. "It gives calm, but it lacks the power of the Dark Side."

"Maybe that's the balance you need to find," she suggests. This isn't the first time she's wondered, especially with everything Dooku has told them.

"Maybe," he agrees, leaning back in his seat and looking through the viewport at the swirls all around them. Ahsoka notices that he holds onto the Light for a while before finally letting go.

**w**

Their arrival on Tatooine is uninterrupted for which Anakin is deeply grateful. He would have hated to be jolted out of the serenity which he'd managed to obtain for what feels like the first time in his life. As he brings the shuttle down to land near Jabba's palace, the sight of the planet and the memories it evokes bring out his long-standing anger and resentment. He lets it come, washing through him, and brushing away any lingering positivity. The time for lingering is passed. He has a mission to complete.

He follows Dooku's Force signature, sending him a silent nudge to let him know of their arrival. The Count reaches back, sending the impression that he's waiting outside. "Come on," Anakin says, waving Ahsoka forwards. They disembark and walk the rest of the distance to Jabba's palace. Dooku is standing nearby, Offee next to him.

"I am glad to see that you were able to make it," Dooku greets him, a hint of approval in his gaze. "I trust you didn't run into any complications?"

"Nothing serious," Anakin assures him, "But we did encounter Master Tachi of the 212th and Knight Olin of the 501st. We were able to stall them and escape with the Huttlet."

The Count smiles. "I am pleased to hear that. Tano, if you might give Anakin the Huttlet."

Anakin makes a face of revulsion but grudgingly takes Rotta from her, who coos, oblivious to the fact that Anakin would much rather put a lightsaber through him and forget about the consequences. Dooku's eyes linger on him, almost as if cautioning him to be careful before he turns towards Ahsoka. "Wait out here with Offee. Anakin and I will deliver the Huttlet back to Jabba, and then, I will finalize the treaty with him."

"Okay," Ahsoka agrees, even though she's visibly reluctant to remain close proximity to her erstwhile friend for any period of time.

"As you wish, my Lord," Offee adds, dipping her head in a semi-bow. Anakin nearly shudders at her excessive formality.

He follows Dooku towards the palace, and it's not until they're out of the others' earshot that Dooku clears his throat pointedly. "There is another minor problem," he murmurs as the guards allow them entry into the palace.

Anakin does not like that tone. At all. "What?" he asks anxiously.

"Senator Amidala just arrived on the planet shortly before you," Dooku admits slowly. "She is currently with Jabba now, trying to convince him that the Republic would never condone the kidnapping of his son."

Anakin's blood runs cold, and he desperately reaches out with the Force to confirm it for himself. Sure enough, he can sense Padme's dim, yet steady light only a short distance ahead. He's going to be sick. He'd always known they'd run into one another again, but not like this. He had wanted it to be on his terms, and now, he's going to be forced to speak with her. He – he doesn't even know what he can say. He can't tell her the truth, obviously, which leaves him with few justifiable reasons for his actions. Force, she's going to be furious. She might hate him. No. No. He can't think like that.

"Anakin." Dooku's calm voice, coupled with the hand suddenly on his shoulder, breaks through his spiraling panic, and he realizes that he stopped walking. Rotta is squirming uncomfortably as his right hand tightens almost to the point of painfulness. He forces himself to relax the grip, before meeting the Count's eyes. "It will be fine. Senator Amidala is a very level-headed woman, and while you may not be able to get her to understand now, I'm sure that, with time, she will see the truth and accept it, accept you."

He nods jerkily, inhaling a few times and burying his fear under a growing bonfire of anger, delving into the Dark Side, and letting it bleed his eyes yellow. He thinks this is the only way he'll survive the coming confrontation. Dooku gives him one last, searching look before he continues walking into the palace. They're escorted into the throne room, and Anakin resolutely does not look at where he knows Padme is standing. All his senses have gone into hyperawareness of her presence; he hasn't seen or spoken to her in so many weeks. None of that prevents him from hearing her voice arguing with Jabba.

"I will not accept any arguing. That is final!" booms Jabba in Huttese as Dooku steps forwards.

"Mighty Jabba," he declares, the sound of his voice drawing the attention of everyone in the room. "I have successfully located and brought back your son to you." And the room explodes into pandemonium.