Anakin destroyed more of the droids in the cannyon, Ahsoka trailing behind him. suddenly there was a deep rumble, and the force screamed at him. he looked up to see boulders raining down.

his last thought before his hands shot up and he called on a dangerous amout of the force, and of Ahsoka, Rex, and the 35ish clones surounding him.

Ahsoka had been trailing behind her master, there was a deep rumble, then she felt a disturbance, she looked around, confused, then saw a Boulder the size of a republic cruiser falling down on her. then everything was pitch-black...

panic set in as her master's force signature suddenly went quiet, that last thing she felt was pain shooting though it.

Obi Wan had been down at base, making sure the speratists didn't flank Anakin and Ahsoka. he frowned at the rocks up on the ledg of the cliff, marking the cannon. he saw them start to fall, panic setting in. the force yelled in his mind, then they came falling, falling, falling. it felt like an eternity, by eventually they landed. somthing Akin to painc set in as his former padawan's force signature screamed in pain, and then went very quiet.

Anakin's head was pounding in his ears as he continued to draw on the force to keep the giant slice of rock, threatening to crush his padawan, men, and himself, from falling.

"Rex." he grunted, head pulsing with pain.

"Yes sir?"

"make sure everyone-" he pause to somewhat catch his breath, the force continued to scream at him for using way too much, "is alright, and tell Ahsoka to-" he paused again, "check of ways out using the force."

"Yes sir!" Anakin didn't quite understand, being too busy trying to keep himself from sinking into the ground beneath him.

after what felt like hours, Rex came back.

"everyone is alright..." he paused, implying the unsaid except, obiously you because your bleeding from the nose... "and Comander Tano has found a way out... she believes. she also said that she can't loft the Boulders on her own so they don't just fill in the space..."

"tell her to contact Kenobi."

"yes sir."

Anakin's vision was slowly fading, his head splitting with pain.

Ahsoka had been fretting about her master when she felt Rex run up, flashlight casting a eerie glow.

"Commander, are you alright?"

"Yes. where's General Skywalker?"

"holding up the massive rock from crushing us, sir... he says to check for spots to escape though..."

"ok. go check the other men for any injuries."

"Yes sir."

Ahsoka reached out with the force, and quickly pinpointed the perfect spot. under further investigation, she found that if they were to move the rocks to get out, more rocks would simply fall on top of them. after a few test runs, she realized that she wasn't stong enough to move them on her own... and her master didn't need to do any more. she was sure he was far exceeding his limit.

she told Rex as much.

Rex returned a few minutes later to tell her that General Skywalker says to get ahold of Kenobi. she nodded, and looked down to see her comlink had been crushed by the rocks somewhere. she went to Rex, who said his comlink didnt have access to kenobi's frequency, and so they went to her master. earlier she had been pretty sure her master was doing too much. now there was no doubt. he had blood running to his nose, and he was shaking. sweat was plastering his clothes to him and he looked as if he might pass out any second. his chest was rising and falling rapidly, and his face indicated he was in pain.

"Master do you remeber Master Kenobi's frequency? my comlink is broken and Rex doesn't have it."

after a few seconds, her master said softly, "No." and then went silent.

"is yours working?"

A moment, then, "I think, check." he swayed a bit, and the breaths quickened for a few seconds. Ahsoka carefully removed his comlink.

"yup. thanks." she commed Obi Wan, walking away.

Obi Wan had always been calm. now, he was frantic, with about a thousand of him men, a hundered of Anakins men, and a few machines. he had been trying to locate Anakins signature, when his comm rang.

"master Kenobi, this is Ahsoka. you need to get over to where I am now. My master is holding up. a nice sheet of rock from crushing us, bit by the looks of it, he gonna lass put any moment."

"Ahsoka, send your chodinates to me."

"Yes master." a few seconds later, he got a spot on a map. he rushed over.

"ok, I'm above you."

"Bad idea. My masters holding that up, and he's not gonna last much longer. take about 3 steps back." he did. "Ok, now where you were standing, I need you to hold those rocks up while I evacuate the men. we've got them all here, and once we remove this rock, that Boulder right there's gonna fall. you just need to move it away. I'm not strong enough to... move it behind you, and I'll need you to grab my master... he's a bit occupied."

"Ahsoka, wait. let me an the men grab our machines. we can lift off the rock Anakins lifting."

"ok."

Anakin knew he wasn't far from passing out. so he started drawing on the force to keep himself upright... he felt like on the long run it'd be worse, but he also was pretty sure they'd be out soon. his vision was vaded so bad, all he could see was white and black spots.

after what was realistically a few minutes, felt like hours, the was a loud cranking sound. his load lessened and his vision faded. he droped to his knees, pulling on the force to stay awake... wait, what was his master doing here... and why did he look so concerned? was that Ahsoka behind him? his thoughts didn't make sense... but he had to... stay... awake... he pulled more out of the force, ignoring the pain it brought.

somebody... his master? was talking...

"Anakin? Anakin, can you heard me? Anakin?"

he was too tired to talk, or do anything... he nodded slightly, and his master looked relieved. despite his efforts, his eyes slipped closed.

Ahsoka was waiting for a few minutes when a loud engine fired up. the rocks shook, as they slowly lifted up. the clones rushed out, while she went straight to her master. he'd dropped to his knees the second the engine fired up. he didn't look good at all. Master Kenobi was sitting infront of him, talking softly. she went up behind him.

"Anakin? Anakin, give me somthing. Anakin? Anakin can you hear me? Anakin?" Obi Wan looked at him concerned, then he nodded slightly before his eyes grew unfocused, and fluttered closed. Obi Wan caught him as he fell, and they went straight to the Resolute. "Master, doesn't he need medical attention?"

"Ahsoka, he has force exhaustion. there is nothing the medics can do. just make sure he doesn't use the force for a few days and he'll be fine... I need to contact the council. tell the admiral to go to courisant. I'm going to the Negotiator."

"Yes master."

Ahsoka watched Master Kenobi leave, then turned her attention to her sleeping master... she wiped up the dried blood on his nose, and sat by, waiting for when he woke up. it was three weeks to courisant.

Obi Wan strode On board the Negotiator. he went to his quarters and contacted the council.

"Yes, What is it Kenobi."

"We were fighting, winning in fact, when there was a avalanche. Ana-"

"Did you lose Skywalker? Or Tano?"

"no. Ana-"

"I suppose the 501st is gone?"

"no, Anakin saved all of them, holding up a big slate of rock from everyone... by the time we got them out, he had severe force exhaustion. we are headed back to courisant, he'll need a few medicines from the halls either way, to help him regain force useage."

"very well. tell Skywalker he was rash and we'll have to have a word with him upon arrival."

"Yes, masters." Obi Wan bowed and cut the transmission.

Anakin's eyes fluttered open... his head reeled with pain...

"Anakin, you're awake."

"Really? didn't notice." he said, smiling a bit. he was pretty sure it came out as a grimace. there was only one person who called him Anakin. "Master, my head hurts... what happened?"

"you were dumb... Anakin, you silly youngling, you tried to life a huge rock by yourself!"

"did I succeed?"

"the only thing you succeeded in going was giving yourself force exhaustion!"

"how did I do that if I didn't succeed?"

Obi Wan sighed, "you did succeed... you saved Ahsoka, the whole 501st, and yourself... but never do that again!"

"you rather me die?" Anakin smerked.

"No! just- just- just don't!"

Anakin sighed. he was really tired, he wanted to keep talking, but his head hurt and he didn't think he had ever been so tired... naturally, he reached for the force, pain, sharp and clear, shot though his head, and he inhaled sharply.

"Anakin, you can't use the force."

"really? I never would've guessed." Anakin said, voice strained. Obi Wan looked worried.

"sleep. you need it. I've kept you up long enough." Anakin didn't need to be told twice. within moments, he was asleep once again.

Ahsoka saw her master four times in the three weeks back to courisant. after the first two weeks, he was able to stay awake for longer, and started walking around the Resolute. after make sure he'd be ok and not use the force, Master Kenobi had gone back to the Negotiator during another pit stop for fuel. they were an hour away from courisant, and she supposed her master would want to be up and around. reaching his quarters, she knocked.

"come in."

"Master, we are and hour from courisant. we are-"

Rex came running up. "General, we are under attack!"

Anakin shot up, "Now! so close to courisant?!"

"Yes sir. they seem to be targeting the Negotiator. you are needed on the bridge."

"be there."

Rex left. "Ahsoka, tell the admiral to patch me in with Obi Wan on the bridge. I'll be down in 2."

"Yes. master."

Obi Wan pulled on the force as the ship luched yet again. "contact the Resolute were under attack."

"Yes sir!" Cody commed the Admiral of the Resolute.

"Admiral, we're under attack... inform Cammander Tano."

"Yes, General Kenobi." the transmission ended. the Negotiaton luched again.

"Sir!" Cody ran up "our landing bosters have been knocked out.

"Anakin, listen to me, there's nothing you can do."

"oh no there isn't!" Anakin said angerly, "speed up, increase thrust! at the last moment I want you powering on those landing bosers full speed!" he yelled to him men.

"Anakin! don't be-" Anakin cut the transmission, running to the exit. they hurled into courisant, stopping and slowing at the last moment, getting there minutes before the Negotiator. Anakin ran out to see the Negotiator coming into the landing platform full speed, trailing smoke.

Anakin knew he'd pay for it later, but he couldn't let them die. ignoring the screaming in his head, he thrust his hands out, slowing the entire Negotiator and landing them. his vision went white from pain, and then black.

Ahsoka heard the order what was he thinking?! getting in before the Negotiator would only crush them beneath it... she followed her master, quietly, and watched in awe as he landed the Negotiator single handedly. then in horror as he droped uncousious.

she ran towards him

Obi Wan could only hope Anakin knew what he was doing... the force was shifting uncomfortably, and sending tingles down to his hands.

he wouldn't abandon the men, and there weren't enough landing vehicles for all of them.

they were getting close when suddenly the ship rocked again, slowing rapidly, and they landed smoothly on the surface. he ran put to see a small crowd of clones around someone's... body?

as he got closer, dread settled in his stomach, and he broke into a run.

he droped to his knees beside his padawan. "somebody, call the healers from the temple." he said. "Now!" he yelled when no one moved. the clones all left, and Obi Wan stoked the hair of his padawan out of his face, "Anakin, come on, stay with me, Anakin, you have to stay, please come on, this isn't funny. wake up, I need to lecture you over your recklessness again, come on, this is a really dumb way to go out, Anakin please, please Anakin..."

Anakins eyes fluttered open... if he had thought his head hurt the last time, he was wrong. his head hirt muchqorse this time.

"Master?"

"Ahsoka?" he said, struggling to find the strength to sit up.

"Master, you can sit up. you don't have the energy. or midi-chlorians." a cool hand pressed him down.

"No, it's ok, i-"

"Master, it's not ok. you almost died."

He chuckled. "you can't die from a little bit of force exhaustion, Ahsoka."

"Acutally, you can and you came very close to it, Anakin." said a certain courisant Accent.

"Obi Wan stop overreacting. you're setting a bad example."

"I'm the one setting a bad example? you're the one who though it'd be a good idea to stop a whole republic cruiser with nothing but the force when already under severe force exhaustion, my very young, imature padawan."

"hey! don't call me that! I saved your life!"

Obi Wan chuckled, "that you did." anakin supredded a yawn, struggling to keel his eyes open. "Go to sleep, Anakin. I'll be here when you awaken." Anakin sighed, and fell asleep.

Ahsoka sat by her master. her master had just fallen back asleep after a few weeks of being on death's doorstep. she looked at master Kenobi. "Master, is it actually possible to die of force exhaustion?"

"in certain cases," he said, looking pointedly at Anakin, "thoose who have it may get side effects that lead to death."

she got up, "well, I have a few classes, if you want to stay with him." Kenobi nodded.

Obi Wan didn't know if he felt proud, impressed, exasperated, frustrated, or somwere in the middle, or some weird mix of all of them. all he did know was that Anakin would be getting a nice, long lecture from both him and the council, and hopefully nothing like this every happens again...

it had been a few hours and Anakin woke up again.

"Master?"

"Yes, Anakin." he had decided upon being proud yet exasperated.

"how long have I been asleep?"

"since you woke up earlier?"

"since I passed out on the landing platform."

"just over three weeks."

"what?! that long?!"

"I told you, Anakin. you nearly died."

"oh... how long this time."

"you'll be out once your midi-chlorian count is back to normal."

"how long will that take?"

"you're still about 5,000 under your average."

"And this started at...?"

"17,000 under."

"What?! but- but average is only 5,000!"

"Yes, I told you. you almost died Anakin... but you saved the whole entire 501st and 212th some of them twice. and you saved me and Ahsoka... not saying it's ok, but you did a good job."

"I- thanks"

Obi Wan nodded, clasping him on the shoulder. "i have a council meeting. See you later."

"see you!" Anakin said happily.