Re-written 27-12-16

Chapter 6.

POV-Ahsoka Tano

Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump. The rhythmic beating of Anakin's heart caressed my ear. His warmth, hugging my body as he held me in his strong, muscular arms. I smiled to myself, 'how did we end up like this?' A twenty-four-year-old Jedi knight and a knighted Padawan, eighteen years of age, still clinging to her master. It all seemed funny in a way. Feels like we're so much older or at least I think we should be after everything we've been through.

In just under three years we've both fought in countless battles and have saved millions of lives. Sure we ran from some of them and we're diving head first into another battle. We've accomplished so much but I fear that the worst is yet to come and that the end of the clone wars nears ever closer. With Darth Maul and Savage Oppress and Ventress out of the picture no longer raining terror across the galaxy someone has to come and step up in their places but who? Surely not Grievous, a cyborg that should be long dead.

For now, though I'm going to enjoy this time in my life. Anakin's birthday is in under a week and I haven't had a chance to get him anything as of yet. Maybe Obi wan will have an idea.

I looked at my chrono. I'd been asleep for six hours! My eyes widened dramatically. Poodoo! Artooie is going to need my help! I carefully freed myself from Anakin's embrace as much as it pained me to leave him. He looked so peaceful. I had my hand hovering over the sensor to walk into the cockpit as I looked at him. I was about to touch the sensor but my eyes glanced over to my holo pad sticking out of my bag. I quickly rushed over and pulled it out, snapping a quick holo-pic of Anakin before going into the cockpit.

R2 bleeped at me happily as I patted his little plastoid helm. I sat in the pilot's chair and checked the time we had until we were due to come out of hyperspace. Three minutes. I activated the stabilizers to full and waited a minute until I started to decrease the speed of the engines.

"Artoo, open a communications channel, open frequencies," I commanded, receiving an affirmative beep.

I grabbed the controls and flicked auto-pilot off as the ship came out of hyperspace with a small jolt. I instantly steered the ship on a frontward path and slowed the engines down almost completely as a voice came through the comms.

"Shuttle 319, what is your business on Coruscant?" a familiar baritone came over the speaker.

I smiled, "enough with the formalities, Rex, this is Jedi Knight, Ahsoka Tano".

"Just doing my job, Commander," he said laughing, a wave of great relief coming off of him.

"Permission to land at the Port hangar of the Jedi Temple?"

"Granted, General Kenobi and myself will meet you there," Rex confirmed.

"Thanks, Rex," I said cutting the connection and boosting the engines.

I had missed Rex a lot, we haven't had a proper talk to him since...before Anakin and I was called to investigate Letta's apartment.

I flew into the atmosphere of Coruscant, the sunset blinding me briefly as I descended the ship below the cloud line. I saw the temple a few clicks out and headed straight for the left hangar. I put the stabilizers back to full power and hovered the ship over the platform, extending the landing gears and setting the shuttle on the ground.

I powered everything down as R2 happily rolled on ahead and outside before I even had a chance to. I laughed to myself and stood up, waving briefly at the two figures standing at parade rest on the platform below.

I still hold something against Obi wan for not trying a lot more to prove my innocence even though I understand why he did what he did. He was a rule abider and a wise Jedi to the end, no matter what circumstances he is under. But I guess I have to admire and love him just as Anakin does. It still hurts though that he did what he did even under the circumstance.

Both of the men out there I care for a lot and they are my family, the ones I can trust wholeheartedly. Sure Rex follows orders even if he knows they're wrong but he will do whatever he can under the radar to get us out if it ever needed to be done. He did it for me whilst I was running and well here he is now.

I still don't trust the council and what hurts the most is that two of my oldest and dearest friends are two of the council members I can no longer trust Plo Koon and Shaak Ti. It hurts to even hear their name as sadness and betrayal floods my heart along with the foreboding of regret. Oh how the Jedi have fallen, following up the actions of war trying to keep the peace and going with what democracy wants when we should be following what the force is telling us, not wanting us to fight where our vision is clouded by the repugnant presence of the dark side. Not one of them showed any emotion when they saw me out on trial or when I got kicked from the order. All but Saesee Tiin, Kit Fisto and Master Yoda were the ones who dared show sympathy and regret towards. I feel though that Yoda is the only one I can trust at the moment, however. Times have changed and Anakin isn't going to like it once things kick off.

I walked back into the room where Anakin was still sound-fully sleeping. I grabbed my pack and slung it over my shoulder, picking his up.

"Anakin, time to get up. We're at the temple," I said prodding his shoulder.

He mumbled something about his bag and shifted onto his side facing me and reached his hand out. I placed his incredibly heavy bag in the middle of his arm which took a turn for the worst. The weight of the bag pulled his arm off the bed followed by his body in an unprofessional side roll onto the floor. I chuckled underneath my breath before helping him up.

"Well, it's good to see you two back to normal," Obi wan's voice chided as I turned around to see him leaning against the landing post on the ramp with an amused look on his face, "welcome back," he smiled.

I just nodded and smiled back as Anakin steadied himself onto his feet again, waking up properly this time. Rex was at the foot of the ramp with his helmet and arm on his waist as usual.

"General Skywalker, Commander, it's good to see you unscathed. Heard that Illum can be quite notorious at this time of year," Rex said, delight clear in his voice.

"Yes indeed, Rex ol' Boy!" Anakin said.

POV-Anakin Skywalker

I held Ahsoka's hand secretly as we slowly snuck into the temple, hoping to avoid any council member. Rex was out in front and Obi wan walked behind us to make sure we wouldn't get caught. I could sense Obi wan's annoyance by our hands touching but I ignored it as I linked my arm around her waist, holding her body close to mine.

We came to an abrupt stop as we entered the dormitory areas of Jedi Knights and Masters. Instantly we pushed our bodies against the wall as two Knights walked by the corridor. All we had to do was get to the second door on our left and we'd be home free to examine Ahsoka's crystal inside.

I heard voices as Obi wan's door slid open, Mace Windu and Saesee Tiin were approaching the dorms. Rex hurried Ahsoka and me in the door first before following us in casually.

"Good to see you, it is. Pleases me it does, see that safe, you are," Yoda smiled looking up at us, giggling as he looked at our hands touching.

I quickly pulled away from Ahsoka taking a seat on one of the floating chairs in Obi wan's room. Being a Jedi Master Obi wan could have whatever he wanted and he decided to get force gravitate chairs, attuned to the force so they floated by themselves.

"Rex guard the door, you will," Yoda said as he agreed reluctantly, as we all took a seat around a small work bench with a scientific microscopic and sonic property scanner.

"Ahsoka, will you put your crystals on the table please," Obi wan asked.

A luminous light was produced the instant Ahsoka took the crystals out of her belts pouch, placing them on the table. Once she let them go the same soothing tones came off of the crystal, the force energy produced by it was overwhelming.

"Strong this crystal is, pure with force energy it is," Yoda stated, sinking into a meditative trance, "Anakin, touch it you will."

I place my hand on it and the soothing tones stopped.

"Incredible," Obi wan marveled, "now that Master Yoda mentions it a crystal like this has been acquired by a Jedi before, a very long time ago. Millenniums ago. And he was bound to the force forever as is the chosen one after encasing it in a lightsaber."

"So what does this mean?" I asked, as Ahsoka's small hand encased my knee, gripping it tightly in fear.

"Bound together, you as the chosen one and Ahsoka are. Through the force eternal you are, an old legend you both will fulfill."