Ahsoka walked away from the Temple in a fit of tears, her descent down the long steps leaving the Temple a perfect allegory for how she felt, how she had seen her life fall apart over the previous days. She wiped the tears from her eyes, attempting to curtail her emotion, but her efforts were all for naught. She was crushed, her heart torn to pieces by the crushing reality that her Order that she had fought for and so earnestly believed in had seemingly turned its back on her.

As she saw the landing pad ahead, she instinctively checked for her lightsabers, as she did before every exit from where she had been but realized that she would no longer have them. She was disarmed and felt disrobed, naked, alone, and afraid in a new universe that she knew was all too violent and unhinged.

She found the edge of the platform a few minutes later and stared out, realizing that as soon as she called for transport, she would be leaving the Temple for good. Her home. It was the only thing she had ever known. She turned back and looked up at the long steps that approached the temple, and upon seeing that she was no longer in view of the terrace, began to break down in a fit of sobs.

Ahsoka sat down on the final step and buried her head in her arms and legs, hiding her face as she rocked back and forth in a fit of sobs, mourning the loss of everything and everyone that she had ever loved. Mourning a future with no clear direction. Mourning the brokenness that she never could have comprehended.

In her broken and frazzled state, she never even noticed the senate transport that landed on the center of the landing pad mere meters away from where she sat. She didn't notice the door open and never even noticed the flicker of a person's presence until she felt a gentle squeeze on her shoulder and a soft, "Ahsoka?"

Ahsoka's tear stained face looked up to see a saddened Padme. She asked, "Padme? What are you doing here?"

Padme took a seat next to her, wrapped her arm around Ahsoka, and said, "Anakin called me after the council meeting. I was hoping I would catch you."

Ahsoka dropped her head again and replied, "Padme…I just…I couldn't go back. Not after what they did. Not after how they betrayed me…"

Padme nodded and rubbed her back soothingly. "I know, Ahsoka. I know."

The pair sat in relative silence for a long few minutes, Ahsoka softly crying and Padme holding her friend, attempting to comfort her as best as she could. Padme, never one to be short an opinion, was at a loss for words. She had no idea what to say to the young Togruta. How did you help comfort someone who had lost everything? What advice was there for a person who felt betrayed by those who loved them the most?

Padme stood up, held out a hand to Ahsoka, and said, "Come with me."

Ahsoka nodded, reached up, took Padme's hand, and headed for the transport that would take them back to Padme's penthouse apartment. Before they left, Ahsoka turned and got one last, long look at the Temple in the fading Coruscant sunlight. Its beauty was undeniable. On any other day, the sight would have taken Ahsoka's breath away. But on this day, it was just another crushing blow to an already beaten and belabored heart.

Obi-Wan was at a distance, watching the scene unfold. He felt a stray tear fall as Ahsoka turned and walked away from Anakin. He reached out and felt Anakin's fury, hurt, and ultimate sense of betrayal. He watched as Ahsoka slowly drifted down the steps, out of sight, and decided to walk out. He softly walked up behind Anakin and gently said, "Anakin, you can't bring her back."

Anakin sharply replied, "I miss her, okay? Is that what you wanted me to say? She's the closest thing I have to family."

Anakin dropped his head and muttered, "I still can't understand how she could have left the Order."

Obi-Wan gently replied, "And why is that?"

Anakin, his voice beginning to raise, snapped, "It was wrong! She's a Jedi. She belongs with us."

Anakin turned his head away and softly, sadly, said, "She's one of us…"

Obi-Wan replied, "She made the decision, Anakin."

Anakin furiously exploded. "Well what choice did we give her?! The moment there were any suspicions about her loyalty, the council turned their back on her!"

Obi-Wan nodded, but ever political and measured, replied, "I would grant you, mistakes were made. But she chose to leave. Part of the Jedi way is not letting emotion cloud your better judgement…and that is precisely what Ahsoka did. Even in her most critical moment."

Obi-Wan was quiet for a moment, but sensed a deeper struggle within Anakin's soul with Ahsoka's decision. He told his former padawan, "You can't take responsibility for Ahsoka's decision, Anakin."

Anakin shook his head. "How would you feel if I turned into a major disappointment?"

"It's not the same."

Anakin sharply responded, "It's precisely the same. You took me under your wing and practically raised me. I'm your padawan, just like Ahsoka was mine. How well would you sleep knowing I failed you?"

"Not very well, I imagine. Luckily, that isn't true. And never will be."

Revan awoke from his slumber in a panic, beads of sweat pouring down his face, his breath strenuous and quick. Bastilla, who was reading a datapad in an attempt to begin catching up on the new world around her like her husband, dropped it as he shot up in his bed and rushed over to his side. "Revan? Are you alright?"

Revan shook his head. "No…I had a vision."

Bastilla, concerned, asked, "What kind of vision?"

Revan replied, "I saw Skywalker in pain…separated…alone. Abandoned by one that he holds close to him. He was surrounded by darkness and when the light in front of him left…the darkness closed in around him."

Bastilla asked, "Do you think it means something?"

Revan nodded. "The force is working. I need to find him. I fear that the fallout from this trial is about to push him dangerously close to the dark side."

Revan slowly slid over and pulled himself out of bed, standing up on wobbly legs as he tried to support himself. Bastilla helped him, grabbing hold of his left arm and wrapping it around her shoulders as she helped him step forward and establish his footing. After a few ginger steps, Revan said, "Thank you, my love. I need to do this alone. I will be back soon."

She nodded, kissed him, and then gently released him, returning to her chair with the datapad and attempting to focus back in on the material in front of her, but unable to totally focus, instead feeling her thoughts drift to her husband and his passionate pursuit of those he cared about.

Revan hobbled towards the Temple terrace the overlooked the main landing pad, sensing that Skywalker was there. The journey was long and Revan could feel that he was well short of being alright, but he pushed through nonetheless, knowing that every moment was crucial.

Minutes later, he emerged from the Temple to find Skywalker standing at the far edge, not far from the steps, staring blankly out at the Coruscant skyline as the last light began to fall. Anakin was frozen in his thoughts, tears stains marking his face, his feet anchored where they had been when Ahsoka had turned and walked away.

Revan walked up slowly, but in no way snuck up on the Jedi. Anakin, however, didn't seem to notice. Revan was quiet for a moment before asking, "Ahsoka left the order, didn't she?"

Anakin was silent, not uttering a word. But his positive nod was a crushing blow to Revan, who knew that a light in Anakin's life had been snuffed out by a manipulation of the dark side. Revan sighed and said, "I'm sorry, Anakin. It never should have come to this."

Anakin finally spoke, bitterly replying, "The Council turned their back on her, Revan. She fought to find the truth and paid the ultimate price."

Revan began to realize the extent of Skywalker's bitterness and quickly understood how the Emperor had manipulated the situation. There was no doubt that he had played with Barriss's mind. There was no doubt that Anakin was being pushed away from the Jedi. And it was in that moment that Revan realized, for the first time, he would have to fight for the Council. Revan didn't agree with them. But he also understood there was more to this story than met the eye and quickly understood that Anakin was not able to see that. Nor, Revan admitted, would he have been able to if he were in the same position.

At that moment, Anakin's comlink blinked. He was being summoned. Anakin pulled it out and heard Padme's voice on the other end. "Anakin come to my apartment. I have Ahsoka with me."

Anakin replied, "I'm on my way."

He closed the channel and Revan said, "I'll come with you."

As Anakin summoned his speeder to come to them, Revan gently put his hand on Anakin's shoulder. "Anakin…she didn't fail you. She did what she thought was right. And you didn't fail her. You stood by her throughout. Don't forget that."

Padme and Ahsoka were sitting on the couch in her penthouse when Revan and Anakin arrived. Revan, sensing that there were things that needed to be sorted out, held back, staying in the foyer and motioning Anakin forward. Anakin nodded and stepped into the room, catching the sudden gazes of the two women he loved most. He stepped forward and knelt down, staring up at them as Ahsoka's gaze fell.

Ahsoka was clearly uncomfortable. He wanted to comfort her, to tell her everything was alright, to grab the galaxy and twist it until everything was right with Ahsoka's world. And then, as if he had been struck upside the head by a rushing bantha, the concern the council had shown towards he and Ahsoka's time as a padawan began to click. He was overly attached to his padawan. And that attachment was pushing him away from the Jedi.

Ahsoka, still emotional, choked out, "I'm sorry, Anakin…I'm sorry for everything I have done wrong."

Anakin lost the fervor of his arguments, his thoughts on Ahsoka leaving, and every other negative thought. They fled his mind as he stared at the tear stained face of his former padawan. He shook his head and replied, "You have nothing to apologize for, snips. I have made mistake after mistake after mistake. You have done nothing wrong."

Ahsoka nodded. "I know…"

Anakin stared up at Padme. Both were perplexed at the sudden discomfort that Ahsoka was showing. They heard something in her tone that was off. She was stiff and cold, clearly weighed down by something. But both sensed that it was far beyond what had just occurred. Anakin, realizing that this was the second time that she had said those words that day, said, "You know something, don't you?"

Ahsoka nodded, bit her lip, and then replied, "I know that the two of you are in love."

Anakin felt as though he had been punched in the stomach yet again. Padme bit her lip. The pair shared a distressed gaze and Ahsoka murmured, "There goes that look again."

Anakin was about to open his mouth in protest but was cut off by a silent look from Padme that clearly indicated for him to stay quiet. Padme quietly asked Ahsoka, "How long have you known?"

Ahsoka took a deep breath and then began. "Something seemed off during the Malevolence Crisis. And then there was the Blue Shadow Virus…Padme, you almost told Anakin that you loved him before you passed out. And I could feel the fear and rage as clear as day, Master. Then Aurra Sing tried to assassinate you, Padme. I knew Anakin well, but I began to develop a deep bond with you and could see how much you two cared for one another. I could feel Anakin's distress for you from across the galaxy. I began to see how alike you both were despite different paths and could see how much you two tried to spend time together. And then…Anakin, what you said about leaving the Order…you weren't just talking about the trials of being the Jedi golden boy, were you?"

Anakin shook his head. "No…no, I wasn't."

Padme reached out and squeezed Anakin's shoulder. Ahsoka offered a soft smile. "It never took a spy to realize the soft spot you two had for one another."

Anakin and Padme both nodded. Ahsoka asked, "How long?"

Padme replied, "We were married two years ago."

Ahsoka nodded, shocked. "Wow…I can't believe it."

Anakin looked up at her, staring into her eyes. He didn't care that she knew. For months, he had wanted to come clean to her. There was nothing that he wanted more than for her to know every little bit of who he was. He loved them both more than anything. And he was done hiding. But he wasn't done fighting. "Ahsoka…please…come back. You're one of us. Don't you see? I can't do this without you."

Revan, who had stayed quiet while letting those who loved and knew Ahsoka plead their case, finally decided it was time to speak. As silence fell on the room, he pondered how exactly to word what he had been through. Finally, after a long period of contemplation, Revan quietly spoke.

"Ahsoka…you know about my past, don't you?"

Ahsoka nodded. "Yes, Master. They taught us very early on."

"Ahsoka, I walked away from the Jedi for the right reasons. Or at least, what I thought were the right reasons. The Mandalorians were slaughtering innocents by the millions. The Republic was failing. The Jedi were the only force that could tip the scales in favor of peace."

Ahsoka sharply replied, "And they did nothing. What's your point?"

Revan leveled his gaze and calmly replied, "Turning my back on the order was the worst mistake that I ever made. The Council may have stayed back for too long, but they did so for the right reasons. Even then, they could sense the influence of the Dark Side on this war. And they knew that it had all been designed to break us apart as an order. They held us back because they knew that once we entered that war, there was no going back."

Ahsoka simply replied, "How does this apply to me?"

Revan responded, "Think, Ahsoka. Do you think that this was a coincidence that you were framed? Do you think that it was fortune that Barris acted as she did? Do you think it was chance that brought you in front of a Court of Justice to be tried at Tarkin's hand?"

Ahsoka retorted, "The Council seems to think it was my great trial."

Revan replied, "Maybe it was. The Force works in mysterious ways. But the dark side clouds everything, Ahsoka. This whole war…it's all a creation of the Sith. I'm sure of it."

Revan looked over at Anakin and Padme, who were holding one another tightly. Revan lowered his voice and said, "Ahsoka, your master…he's special. And there is no doubt in my mind that the Dark Lord of the Sith is after him. And I think…that he's trying to push Anakin away from the Jedi and towards the Dark Side by using you."

Revan sighed and bowed his head. "Ahsoka, trust me when I say this. When someone is looked up to within this order, when they are held in such esteem that they can never possibly live up to their calling…losing a true friend does unspeakable damage. You can't understand but trust me…Anakin needs you more than you could ever know."

Ahsoka shook her head. "I know. But…this has to be my decision. This was my life and they…"

Revan nodded. "I know. They betrayed you, in your eyes. They didn't fight for you when they probably should have. I know how that hurts, Ahsoka. But the Council is sworn to look out for the good of the Order and good of the Republic. Likewise, we have sworn to defend the Order and defend the Republic, even if it costs us everything."

"Where are you going with this?"

Revan asked, "Have you looked at this from the Council's point of view?"

She shook her head. Revan nodded. "The evidence was there, Ahsoka. The case was in the public eye. The Jedi were being looked at as enemies of the state. And they knew that to protect the Order, they had to let you go. You may see it as unfair, but in truth, they did what they had to do."

Ahsoka shook her head. "They betrayed me, Revan."

Revan shook his head. "Maybe, maybe not. But if you think that it didn't tear apart their hearts to do this…well, it did."

"Why are you defending them?"

Revan replied, "I'm not. I'm reminding you that this isn't as black and white as you're trying to make it."

Ahsoka accused, "You just want me to return to the Order."

Revan nodded, surprising Ahsoka with his honesty. "You're right. I do. But that doesn't mean I'm wrong."

Revan was quiet for a moment before saying, "One more thing about the Council, Ahsoka. Sometimes sacrifice in the moment is necessary for the good in the future. The Mandalorians killed millions. But when I spurned the Order and joined the war, we killed billions. And after I left and chased after the Dark Side, something the Council foretold…that resulted in the slaughter of trillions. Just something to think about."

Ahsoka said, "You hate the Council, Revan. I can see it in your eyes."

Revan nodded. "Most days, you are not wrong. But that doesn't mean that I can't acknowledge there is a reason behind their logic."

Revan bent down on a knee and looked into her eyes. "Ahsoka…all of this is semantics. I care about you and I care about Anakin. I meant what I said. This whole saga was manipulated by dark forces outside of our control. I cannot see the future. The dark side clouds everything. But I am wholly confident that if you return…you could change everything. There is a future for you here, Ahsoka. Please…come back."

Ahsoka looked at the three adults and for the first time, felt through the force. Their feelings of love, devotion, and concern were cascading over her like a waterfall. It was so clear to her that they cared for her above all else. Ahsoka took a deep breath. If they were willing to do that, then she could do the same. "I can't forgive the Council. Not yet, anyways. But Anakin…you have sacrificed everything for me. I need to do the same for you. If you'll take me…I'll come back, Master."

What happened next shocked Ahsoka. Anakin stood up, pulled her up, and wrapped her in a tight bear hug, squeezing her like his life depended on it. She felt Padme step in after a moment, with Anakin wrapping an arm around her as well. He whispered, "I love you both. So…so much."

Padme whispered, "Welcome to our family."

Revan stared on from across the room and heard the voice cackling in his head. "You may have won this round, Revan. But this is a marathon, not a sprint. You will bow to me and Skywalker will be mine. Nothing can change that."

Revan snarled back, "We'll see about that, Emperor. This is my family now. And if you don't think I will fight tooth and nail to defend them…you will soon find how wrong you are."

The Emperor sneered, "I'm counting on it."