Chapter 18 - Whispers of Danger

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 Padme is in danger, and Anakin and Ahsoka try to protect her. :P

~ Amina Gila

"I should have been allowed to go with you," Anakin grumbles as he, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka walk towards the ship. Obi-Wan is heading to Balith, and Anakin is forced to stay at the Temple with Ahsoka. It's been a couple months now since Ahsoka was captured, but nothing has really changed. The tide of the war does seem to be turning in their favor, though, which is a good thing. It's probably only temporary, and that fact frustrates him.

"Master Plo has been gone on a mission for a while now," Obi-Wan reminds Anakin. "You're the only one who can stay here with Ahsoka."

"And I don't see why the Council still doesn't trust her to be alone for a few days," Anakin huffs.

"I am right here, you know," Ahsoka reminds cheerfully.

"Stay out of trouble," warns Obi-Wan as he approaches the ramp of the waiting ship.

"Don't worry, we will," Ahsoka assures him with a not exactly reassuring smile, "When I have gotten into trouble since I came here?" She has a point.

"Not yet, but I hope you won't break that streak."

"Unlikely."

Obi-Wan boards the ship, and Ahsoka and Anakin watch until the ramp closes, and the ship rises into the blue Coruscant sky, disappearing from sight.

"I hope he'll be alright," Anakin murmurs, watching as the engines fire up the ship flies into the air away from the Jedi Temple. He can't explain why, but he has an unsettling feeling right now. He thinks something is wrong, though he can't place it. He senses a disturbance in the Force somewhere, but it doesn't center around Obi-Wan. It's elsewhere, and he can't quite figure out what's causing it yet. It'll become clearer with time, but those feelings always set him on edge.

"I'm sure he's going to be fine," Ahsoka assures him. "He can take care of himself, you know."

"We hope," Anakin mutters. "Because he's always getting into messes and needing me to come pull him out."

"Really?" Ahsoka exclaims, "I would've thought you were the one always getting into messes."

"Hey!"

"I seem to remember this one time on Geonosis..." she begins, and Anakin cuts her off with a loud groan.

"That was one time, Snips. Just one time."

"Was it? Seemed like an everyday occurrence."

Anakin huffs at her. "Anyway, we should go back to my apartment. I believe you have schoolwork to do."

**w**

Anakin can't really see his surroundings, but he can sense danger radiating through the Force. Someone approaches him slowly from behind. When he finally spins around, he finds himself standing face to face with someone – except that someone died a long time ago. Aurra Sing.

"She will die," she whispers. "You cannot stop it."

Anakin jolts awake with a start. What?! How is that possible? She's dead! He saw it. He saw the ship crash, going up in flames as it disappeared over the hillside. Sure, he didn't actually see her dead body, but how could she have escaped that blaze? He hasn't had visions like that for a while, but it was strangely vivid. It was definitely a vision, not just a dream. It was as real as the ones he'd had about his mother. He hasn't had that feeling since the one about Ahsoka shortly before Kamino. Aurra Sing is alive. How?

Even if nothing serious happened in it, he gets the feeling the 'she' Aurra was talking about was someone important to him. Ahsoka, maybe? He doesn't know, but he's going to have to figure it out.

Even stranger, Anakin senses a flicker of concern from his bond with Ahsoka. It's nothing serious, so he takes the liberty to slowly lay back down. He'd normally talk to Obi-Wan about it, but he's not here right now. He can try to figure this out in the morning.

The morning comes quickly, and Anakin finds himself heading to find Ahsoka first thing. She seems oddly tense, which is strange. He doesn't mention it until they've started eating, when he can't pass it off anymore. She's acting like something else is completely occupying her mind. "What is it?" Anakin asks finally. "Your being strangely absent this morning."

"I had a vision last night," Ahsoka begins, making him tense instantly. "There was this person... I'm not really sure who she was. She was trying to kill someone, I'm not sure who but..."

"You have an idea?" he presses. Somehow, he gets the feeling it might have to do with the same thing as his vision. After all, it's unlikely that both of them would have similar visions the same night. Besides, they know many of the same people.

"I don't know," Ahsoka replies, almost as if she's trying to brush it off. When Anakin gives her a no-nonsense look, she finally caves. "I'm really not sure, but it may have been Senator Amidala." Padme. No. Icy tendrils of fear wraps around him. Something about her words ring right. No. Not Padme. Not another assassin out for her. She has to be alright. "Skyguy," Ahsoka sighs. "Look, I don't know. Calm down. There's nothing we can do right now."

"You don't understand," Anakin retorts, "I had a vision last night, too." Concern flickers through her expression, and she doesn't say anything right away.

"Maybe you should talk to Master Yoda about it," the Togruta suggests finally. "He's the Grandmaster of the Jedi. If anyone knows what to do about it, he would."

"That's a surprising amount of respect there for someone raised as a Sith, Snips," Anakin teases, smiling for a moment. He doesn't really want to, but she has a point. He ought to tell Yoda what he saw about Aurra Sing, even if they don't mention Ahsoka's suspicion that she's trying to kill Padme. There has to be something to it. He knows for certain, both from experience and Ahsoka having a similar dream on the same night, there's something to it. Maybe that's what the faint disturbance in the Force was yesterday. It's still not close enough for him to place, but he can't shake the feeling of wrongness. Something bad is going to happen, and he has a pretty good idea now what it might be.

"Will you do it?" she asks, "Or should we just wait?"

Given it might be Padme's life on the line here, the decision isn't hard to make. "I'll talk to Master Yoda as soon as possible."

Ahsoka slumps back against her seat with – is that relief? "Good."

**w**

"Have a seat, young Skywalker," greets Yoda, as Anakin steps into the room a short while later, taking a seat on the cushion opposite him, "Troubled you are?"

"Yes, Master Yoda," he confirms, "I've had a vision."

"Hmm, a vision you say?" Yoda asks, "Premonitions. Telling you something, it is."

"I know that I reported otherwise, but I think that Aurra Sing is still alive," Anakin says after a long moment of silence, "She's planning to kill someone... close to me." Saying it aloud makes it more real. "And Ahsoka saw something similar," he adds as an afterthought. They have to do something about it, but he doesn't know what. It's not like with his mother. This is something from the future, but he is not going to let it happen.

"Hmm. Always in motion, the future is, and many possible futures, there are."

"What should I do?" he asks quietly. He wishes Obi-Wan was here, but maybe it's for the best that he's not. He didn't – couldn't? – do anything for Anakin's mother; why would he do something for Padme?

"Meditate, to see more clearly, you should," the grandmaster instructs, "But train yourself you must, to let go of all those you fear to lose."

"Yes, master," Anakin answers automatically, slipping out of the room. That doesn't help anything. He can't meditate. He just can't get his mind calm or see a path or whatever, like Obi-Wan always tells him he should. It's not that he doesn't want to; it's that he physically can't. It feels like it'll rip his mind apart if he tries. And he can't simply... not worry like Yoda seems to think he should. He can't "let go" or he'll lose her for sure, and he can't – he can't survive that.

For as much as he loves Obi-Wan, he knows the other doesn't trust him, and Anakin can't talk to him properly anymore. They passed that point years ago, and it's only getting worse.

Padme is his best friend, his angel, his wife. He can't let her die. He'd be willing to do anything for her.

Almost anything. There are some things he wouldn't do for anyone. Except Obi-Wan. There's nothing he wouldn't do to gain acceptance from his father. He has to admit that to himself.

"Anakin?" Ahsoka's quiet voice snaps him out of his thoughts. She stands in the hall by the windows where she usually does, thankfully alone. He doesn't like leaving her alone in the halls without him, Obi-Wan, or Plo. Most of the other Jedi don't seem to trust her, and he hates how often he has to break up arguments. Hopefully, Obi-Wan didn't feel like this when Anakin was younger and still getting adjusted to the Temple. At least Ahsoka's fights are only verbal, unlike his were.

"What happened?" It's a reminder that for once he's not alone, and he appreciates it so much, because never since leaving Tatooine has he felt like he doesn't have to carry this burden alone.

"He wants us to meditate," Anakin answers, coming over to join her. "Let's go to the Room of One Thousand Fountains." The sound of rushing water has always been able to calm him like nothing else does.

After they settle down across from each other next to one of the fountains, Ahsoka starts talking again. "What else did he tell you, if you don't mind me asking? You seem upset."

Anakin pauses to contemplate it for a moment, but he doesn't see any harm in telling her. She's not a Jedi; she won't sprout off about how he shouldn't have emotions. "I don't know how they can expect me to just not care," he explains finally. "Padme is... she's been my friend for a long time." He nearly jumps when Ahsoka touches his arm.

"And you won't lose her," she promises. "You won't let it happen." He tried before. It didn't matter. Anakin's gaze drops to the floor, unable to look at her. "You'll have me, you know," she continues. "I'll help you how ever I can."

"Thank you," he whispers. It's the closest thing to acceptance he's ever gotten. Ahsoka is the only person ever who promised to stand by his side forever, to help however she can. And it's not like with Padme, who brushes him off when she doesn't have time. This is the word, the promise, of someone he knows will always stand by him, no matter what anyone says. A voice in the back of his head whispers a reminder that he's going to lose her, too, but for the first time, it doesn't feel right. It's the same way it felt when he met Obi-Wan, that this is the one person he can trust to stay by his side forever. And yes, Anakin and Rex have an understanding to always watch each other's backs, but this is something else entirely. This is a promise of unconditional loyalty, something out of choice rather than respect, and it's something he's craved for so long.

Anakin doesn't think words could express exactly how grateful he is. He blinks away his tears, willing himself not to cry in front of her – he still has an image to live up to, after all – and reaches forwards, pulling her into a crushing embrace. She stiffens for a moment before she practically melts, reaching up to cling to him in return and burying her face against his shoulder. She isn't used to physical contact, he realizes, and she craves it. Much like he does, and for the same reason, he suspects. They're both so, so used to people trying to hurt them, that when it's for something else, it's always a true gift.

For the first time in his life, he has someone who understands him, and it's something he intends to safeguard at any cost. They may have... disagreements and distrust, but at the end of the day, they love each other – he can't believe he's saying this about a former Sith – and they relate to one another on a level no one else ever truly could.

Minutes tick by, and between feeling Ahsoka who's practically curled up in his lap and the sound of rushing water, he finds some semblance of calm. "We should check up on Padme," he hears himself saying, though he has no intention of moving.

"Good idea," Ahsoka agrees readily, "At least that way she'd be more prepared in case something actually did happen. I mean really, she was nearly killed only a month ago as it is."

"These things happen all the time to her. Let's hope she actually will take our warning to heart," he sighs, "Because sometimes I really question if she actually does take her own safety seriously." And it infuriates him to no end. Doesn't she know how much it would hurt him if something happened to her, or does she just not care? No, he shouldn't think like that.

"Why is that?" Ahsoka asks as she pulls back a little, raising an eye marking at him.

"Because," Anakin replies, "She's always far more concerned about her own work. Her entire ship was blown up one time, but she was still more worried about some Senate vote."

Ahsoka blinks at him with disbelief, then laughs. "Okay, I know exactly what you mean."

"Then let's get going." The trip over to Padme's apartment doesn't take long, and Anakin's concern is growing again, though he feels so much better with Ahsoka at his side. Captain Typho greets them and informs Padme of their presence.

"Anakin!" she exclaims happily, hurrying towards them from around a corner, "Ahsoka! It's so good to see you. How have you been?"

"Honestly, we've been better," Ahsoka offers.

"Well other than that I should be out in the front instead of staying here, I'm fine," Anakin replies, scowling slightly at the first part. He's glad Ahsoka is here, but ever since she came, he and Obi-Wan have been forced to stay at the Temple far more frequently. If they could still be out in the fronts, he's sure the Republic would be winning much faster, especially since Dooku has been relieved of one of his trusty assassins. He doesn't exactly have that many left anymore, many of them having been killed in battle. Ventress is the main one remaining.

"We sense you are in grave danger, Senator," Ahsoka explains. Her concern is masked surprisingly well – though he can definitely still feel it – with an ease Anakin almost envies.

As he expected, Padme doesn't seem particularly perturbed by the news. "What makes you believe that?"

"We both had dreams," Ahsoka explains.

"I know you are in danger, Padme," Anakin adds. He can feel it now that he actually suspects it. The Force hums in confirmation every time he thinks if it, another one of the many questions it answers for him easily, unlike any other Force user.

"What kind of danger?" she presses, still seeming unworried.

"I saw a very dangerous bounty hunter attempting to assassinate you," he explains slowly. She's not going to take him seriously.

She seems more thoughtful than concerned, and Anakin's quite certain the only thing keeping him level is Ahsoka at his side and the reminder that he's not alone in this. "Captain," she says, turning to him, "Please take all necessary precautions."

"Wait... you're leaving?" frowns Ahsoka.

"Yes," she confirms. Even better. That will only make it so much easier for the assassin – or it could lose them for a bit, depending on whether they've already gotten on her track. "Bail Organa and I are leading a conference concerning the refugees from the war. I leave for Alderaan in the morning."

"But the threat to your life –" Anakin begins to protest.

"The refugee situation is much too crucial to ignore," Padme insists, and he can't help but shoot Ahsoka his best I-told-you-so look. He knew she would be like this. She never listens to his concerns, and he doesn't really know why. It's his job to protect her. "I called this conference. It could make an enormous difference in policy. It's vital that I go."

"Yes, Senator," Ahsoka agrees unhappily.

"I would like to go with you, if we can," Anakin offers after a pause. It's the only way they'll be able to keep her safe if she's going off-planet. He absolutely refuses to sit around when his wife could be in serious danger.

"Of course, you can!" Padme exclaims, then adds a moment later, "If the Jedi will allow Ahsoka off Coruscant, of course." Oh, right. He'd nearly forgotten.

"We'll talk to Master Yoda about it," suggests Ahsoka. "Given the circumstances, I'm sure he'll agree." Or so they can hope, but Anakin doesn't bother adding that part. Yoda is usually much more reasonable than the rest of the Council, but that doesn't mean much.

"Come on, we should talk to him as soon as possible," he advises, turning to go. Who knows when Yoda will have time to see them again today? The sooner they get back to the Temple and talk to him, the better.

**w**

This is not going to be easy. It's far too close to the topic Anakin can't tell anyone anything about. Hopefully, he can do this right, so it won't look suspicious. "I think I might know who the visions are about," he begins cautiously. After they returned to the Temple, it was several more hours before Yoda could finally see him. "I believe it is Senator Amidala who is in danger," he continues after a long moment when the Jedi Master remains silent. He's played with the idea of coming out with the full truth before, but he can't. It's only fair that he tell Obi-Wan first, something he can't bring himself to do. Obi-Wan will be disappointed in him, and Anakin can't bring himself to face that. Not now.

"Senator Amidala, you say?" the grandmaster murmurs.

"Yes, Master," Anakin confirms, "Ahsoka and I have both seen it in our visions. She is as certain of it as I am. I just spoke with the Senator, and she is going to be leaving Coruscant for a conference on Alderaan. I request permission to leave with the Senator to protect her and take Ahsoka with me."

"Be cautions, you must be, but permit it I do," Yoda answers at last. And why does he look almost amused?

"Yes Master," he replies, before quickly leaving the room once more. Well, that went better than expected. Hopefully, their luck will stay when they're on the mission.

**w**

"Okay, I clearly have no idea what I'm doing," Ahsoka groans dramatically, leaning back against the bench after losing the third round of Dejarik in a row.

"You'll learn to play in time, Ahsoka. Someday you'll even beat me," Padme encourages.

Anakin is sitting across the table from the two of them watching as they play the game. On the bright side, while they're in hyperspace, there's no way anything could happen to Padme. Aurra couldn't have snuck onto the ship without anyone noticing, especially given that he and Ahsoka are here. They would have been able to sense her.

"It's not that..." murmurs Ahsoka, clearly disturbed.

"The visions?" Anakin guesses.

She nods. "It would be easier for the bounty hunter off Coruscant."

"I've had assassins after me all the time," Padme tries to reassure her – and fails spectacularly. Even so, that never makes Anakin feel any better about it. He can't stand when people he cares for are endangered, and this is Padme. The one person he doesn't have to spend every second of the day worrying about, because she's not on the battlefield. She's safe here. "I'm sure this will work out fine. Besides, with both of you here, any assassin would have a hard time getting to me. After all, Anakin is a Jedi Knight, and you were once an assassin yourself."

"I suppose you are right," agrees Ahsoka, smiling slightly. "No one would know more about being an assassin than me."

"Why do you sound so proud of it?" Anakin teases. He's honestly surprised she doesn't find that part of her past touchier of a subject than she does. He certainly used to, and still does.

"It's called seeing where certain skills can be useful, even if they seem useless at the time," insists the Togruta. True enough.

"One more game?" proposes Padme.

"Absolutely!" agrees Ahsoka.

"And if you still fail to beat her, then I'll opt for the challenge," Anakin suggests. He's pretty sure that the only reason Ahsoka is having such a hard time is because she doesn't fully understand how to do it. Or because she's quite distracted. Honestly, he thinks she's a great strategist. He wonders how long it would take him to beat her, because he knows he would. Eventually.

He settles back against the seat, watching the game progress. Ahsoka is doing surprisingly better than before, though he still doesn't think she'll win yet. The round lasts a little longer than the previous two, Ahsoka seeming to finally be starting to catch on.

"You're doing a little better," Anakin comments as the game finishes for the fourth time.

"Thanks," Ahsoka says. "I've pretty much only ever trained in lightsaber combat, not things like this, so it's probably excusable." She does have a point. "And speaking thereof, is there a way we could spar?"

"Not likely. At least not here," he replies, "And I only have one lightsaber anyway."

"How about when Obi-Wan returns?" she suggests.

"Maybe, if I could convince him to. Besides, there's not really room anyway, unless we empty out someone's apartment."

"Or we could take the risk of damaging the furniture," Ahsoka jokes.

"Obi-Wan would have a fit," Anakin smirks.

"He wouldn't have to know."

"Well, he'd find out if we ended up damaging something. Besides, we'd have to use his lightsaber to spar, remember? So, he'd have to know."

"... True enough," she laughs.

"How about we go to bed?" suggests Padme. "If there really is a chance of the bounty hunter attacking tomorrow, we're going to need some rest." Anakin couldn't possibly agree more, though he has his serious doubts has to how much sleep he'll be getting at all.

**w**

Spending more time around Anakin and Padme hasn't really clued Ahsoka in any more on what sort of relationship they have. It's obvious that Anakin has serious feelings for her, but she's not sure if the feelings are mutual. Sometimes she thinks Padme may act like it, but other times, it doesn't really seem like it at all.

From what Ahsoka's seen, it doesn't really seem like Padme truly understands how much at Anakin cares for her. Or if she does, she simply doesn't appreciate it that much. She basically shrugged him off when he was worried for her.

And that is something Ahsoka can't understand. Having someone to actually truly care for you is a gift. It's something a lot of people don't have, just like she never used to. It's one of the most valuable things one can get in life, and it's certainly not something to be ignored or used when it suits you.

She almost wonders if she should try talking to Padme about it. Yes, it's technically not any of her business, especially since in the whole scheme of things she hasn't known Anakin or the Senator that long, but Anakin has done more for her than anyone ever has. She owes it to him to help however she can.

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