Chapter 1 - Running

Author's Note: And this is where the real story begins. :)

~ Amina Gila

She's drenched from the rain, the rain which poured from the sky, as if the planet itself were crying for her. It seems fitting, either way. She wants to break down and cry, but she can't afford to.

The Jedi are hunting her like a common criminal. Ahsoka dedicated her entire life to them, even if she often didn't understand them, and this is what happened.

Anakin had asked her not to run, but she didn't have a choice. What else can she do? The Jedi won't listen to her. She knows they won't, even if her master refuses to admit it. He's always been way too trusting. It's one of his biggest flaws, and sometimes she fears what will happen because of it.

He let her go though. He did, for which Ahsoka is grateful, even if she doesn't think she'll ever forget the look on his face.

"I need you to trust me now," she had said, as the wind whipped past them, lightning flashing in the distance. Coruscant is never dark, but it seemed this time it was dark except when lightning flashed, lighting the sky. Ahsoka might not have been spotted, if not for that. Maybe she could have escaped without the clones spotting her and would be safe here in the Underworld until she could find a trail.

"Ahsoka, I do trust you." Her master's voice is still ringing in her head, even as she pulls her cloak – the only dry clothes she wears, because she got it later – closer around her, careful to keep her head down. She can't afford to be seen, or her master and the Jedi and a thousand clones will instantly be on her tail. It hurts that they're chasing after her, that they refuse to believe her innocence when she's never been anything but trustworthy.

It hurts that Anakin would do this, would choose the Jedi over her. She didn't expect him to come with her, even if she admittedly did expect him to help, at first.

"I know," she had said, only moments before the clones came. She sensed Rex's approach and jumped out of the pipe onto a passing transport before the clones could try stunning her. She was far enough down to be out of their range.

They had both known at that moment that they were on opposite sides of this, yet they still loved each other. He would still look out for her, the way he always did, and she for him.

Ahsoka hadn't cried then, no matter how much she wanted to. She looked up instead, meeting his eyes one last time, as he stood at the edge of the pipe where she once was. The pure heartbreak in his expression cut her to the core, and she could've sworn his face was wet, but she doesn't know why – it was raining, after all. It probably still is, she doesn't know.

It feels like that moment they both knew something was going to change irreparably, like they're going down separate paths neither can come back from, and she hates it.

Something in the Force feels off, though. She senses a strangely dark presence nearby, but it's elusive, and largely overshadowed by the other darkness in the Underworld. She still can't shake the sensation that something is very wrong though.

The presence is dark though, too dark. Maybe it's the person behind this? She doubts it, but she can't turn down a chance to prove her innocence. She wants to find it. If this person is a Sith, they could be dangerous, and even if she's at odds with the rest of the Order, she's still a Jedi, and she will help people. If this is a Sith, she needs to stop it – him? – before anyone is hurt.

And Ahsoka rounds the corner, running, almost literally into... a cyborg?

Ugh. It's not that she has anything against those, just that the only one she actually met was the one who strangled her and nearly beheaded her when she was fourteen.

Not that this being looks anything like Grievous, and she thinks, somehow, that he'd be insulted by the comparison. He towers over her, the lights on his chest almost the only light in the dark alley. He looks... more than a little unnerving, but maybe that's mostly the effect of the shape of his mask, and the long black cape he wears, which nearly touches the ground.

Ahsoka scrambles backward, spluttering a hasty apology, before her eyes fall on the two young children following him.

They look familiar, for some reason. They remind her of someone. Two someone's, actually. The boy has blonde hair and shining blue eyes, eagerly taking in his surroundings. The girl is a little shorter, with dark brown hair. Her piercing brown eyes settle on Ahsoka, almost as though she's seeing right into her.

There's a heartbeat of silence before the boy says, very loud, "It's her!"

Uh oh. Do they know who she is? Ahsoka takes a step back, torn between running and reaching for her lightsaber.

"Auntie 'Soka!" blurts out the girl.

"Shh!" hisses the boy, and the girl's eyes widen as she seems to realize what she just said.

Ahsoka hesitates, frowning. They are quite clearly talking to her, but she doesn't know why. "Do I know you?" she asks, instead. She figures it's probably what her master would define as polite or maybe what Padme would define as polite, because neither Anakin nor Master Obi-Wan were very keen on teaching her manners.

"One could say that," the cyborg replies. His voice is deep through his vocoder, and she briefly wonders what he really sounds like. Not that it matters.

"Who are you?" Ahsoka demands, one hand creeping closer to her lightsaber. Yes, she may only have one, but she can still fight. Something in the man's presence is dark. Too dark.

There is a tense moment of silence during which his respirator cycles once... twice before he finally answers. "You once knew me by the name Anakin Skywalker," he answers, "But am I no longer that man, and I never will be again."

"It's a trick," Ahsoka snaps. The boy's lightsaber catches her eye – it's Anakin's. The girl has a lightsaber too, and it's familiar though she doesn't know why. There are too many oddities about this, and it doesn't make sense. It's only explainable if it's a vision, but she has no recollection of falling asleep. "This isn't real."

She doesn't know why she expected them to simply disappear when she said that.

"I am real!" the boy protests, minorly offended. He runs forwards, grabbing her hand. She lets him – she senses no malevolent intent, even if she suspects he could do some serious damage if he really, truly tried. He feels real.

"Where did you come from?" she demands, frowning.

"There is much to discuss," the cyborg – Anakin... though he feels far too dark and more importantly, dim, to be Anakin. Her master was always a brilliant light in the Force that drew everything to him, sometimes overwhelming because of how strong it was. This man is nothing like that, and if not for what he said, she would have laughed at the thought of them being the same. He feels like a brilliant black hole somehow, nowhere near as bright as Anakin – though she still has never felt a Force-presence quite this intense on anyone else. "Come."

Ahsoka frowns, bewildered, and follows. If he's really a Sith, she'll defeat him, that's all. She might even take him back to the Temple herself if she has to. That doesn't stop the unease from prickling down her spine.

**w**

She's still as uncertain and wary as ever when they stop somewhere a little less conspicuous.

"We walked through time," the girl says very, very seriously.

Ahsoka raises an eyemarking at her. "Prove it," she orders flatly.

She senses a hint of annoyance from the cyborg now. "Asajj Ventress is currently observing you from a few buildings away from here."

"What?" she yelps.

"Had you continued on your way, she would have attacked you," he continues, "You contacted Barriss Offee, and she will call you back and tell you to go to a warehouse a distance away from here."

Either he's telling the truth, or this person is very, very creepy, and she thinks she'd prefer to take the first option. Ahsoka lets her hands fall to her sides for the first time. "You can't be Anakin," she declares, flatly.

"No," he agrees, "Not anymore."

The children – she thinks they're about the same age – shift uncomfortably, looking between her and the man.

"I don't understand."

"It matters little," he replies, curtly, "My name is Darth Vader."

"So, you are a Sith?!" she squeaks, eyes going wide. It was her first thought when she sensed how dark he was, but hearing he was Anakin... It's unthinkable. How could this have once been Anakin?! Her master was always so cheerful, so light. He might have a temper, sometimes, and she knows he struggles with many things, but the mere thought of him Falling is outrageous. He Fell on Mortis, of course, but to be fair Ahsoka died there, too, and she's still quite alive. It's hard to say how much of that was a vision and how much, if any, was real. She thought it was nothing more than a one-time thing, not something that could really, truly happen.

And how could he end up like this? Vader's presence is entirely dim. It's dark, and still dangerously powerful, but it feels as strong as the children... Are those his children?! Ahsoka hastily pushes that thought aside because it's too disturbing. Anakin was supposed to be light, bright. That should never have changed, no matter what happened to him. What happened, she wonders? How could Anakin Skywalker have become a Sith? And how did he become a cyborg? Somehow, Ahsoka doesn't think she wants to know the answer.

It feels like betrayal, despite her knowing it's not. Vader isn't her Anakin. He's not really her master because he's from a different time. He's lived another life, one she can't understand and knows nothing of. It would be unfair, wrong to judge him for something about which she doesn't know. "How could you have Fallen?"

The Force gathers around him sharply in a way that almost makes her back away. It reminds her of how Anakin used to do that, but it was stronger with him, wild and uncontrolled. Vader isn't like that. Whatever happened to him in the years changed him. He's right; he's not the same. It hurts though. She can't imagine a world where her master – her brother, in so many ways – reached this point. "My master taught me the true nature of the Force," he replies, darkly.

Something twists in her chest. "Who is your master?" Ahsoka asks instead, trying to ignore how much it hurts to speak to Anakin in this manner. She shoves her tumult of emotions behind a wall to deal with later. She can think about it when she's alone and doesn't need to stay level-headed and prepared to run like she does now.

"Sidious was my master." For once, his response is almost immediate. "I destroyed him."

"Sidious?" Ahsoka repeats, eyes widening. "Isn't that the one they say is behind the Clone Wars?"

"He was," Vader confirms.

"And you... what? Sided with him?!" Ahsoka demands, irate. "How could you?"

She senses his anger flare. "There is much in this conflict about which you do not understand."

"Dad, don't get mad," the boy protests, and Ahsoka is instantly mind-blown that these are Anakin's children. Seeing how bright their Force-presences are, she wonders if they're his biological children, which raises a host of other questions that she both does and doesn't want to know the answers to. When were they born? Jedi can't have families. Was he a Jedi when it happened? Or was he a Sith? Though she can't imagine a Sith having that kind of relationship... or any relationship. "We didn't come here to argue!"

"We came here to help you," the girl says, moving forwards. They're either very bold or know her very well, because they seem quite comfortable around Ahsoka, which she is grateful for. Clearly, her and Vader were still close despite what happened between them. "We know who did this."

"Call your... friend back," Vader interjects, an obvious disdain in his voice, though she can't tell if it's at the word or something else. His anger is still swirling around him, but Ahsoka doesn't think it ever left. He is still a Sith, and she doesn't know why. What darkness could fuel the Fall of someone so light? Maybe she'll find out someday, but not now.

"I don't have a comm," Ahsoka objects. "I'll need to go somewhere."

"You must be careful to avoid being found," he warns.

"I can... find a transmitter somewhere and prevent anyone from tracing the signal," she suggests.

"Very well," Vader concedes reluctantly.

**w**

Ahsoka has just finished talking to Barriss when she senses something. They're being watched. She turns, only to almost immediately lay eyes on a group of clones surrounding them with their blasters raised. Vader moves forwards immediately, standing protectively in front of the children. He might be a Sith, but she can still see so much of Anakin in him.

Ahsoka turns around as the clones surround them, blasters raised. "Listen to me. I don't want to fight," Ahsoka objects, raising her hands. Anakin as Anakin would never dream of hurting them, but she doesn't know if she can say the same about Vader.

"We're taking you in now, Commander," one of the clones replies.

"Not happening," the boy replies cheerfully, both the twins reaching for their lightsabers.

"Luke, Leia, stay back," Vader orders. (Finally, she knows their names.)

"I'm not going to hurt any of you," Ahsoka tells them, firmly standing her ground. She knows they're chasing her, but they're doing it under orders. She doesn't want to hurt them, and besides, it will only serve to worsen her situation and make them more suspicious of her. She gives a pointed glance at the Sith. "We're not going to hurt any of you," she adds, "But you are not taking me in."

Before someone can move to attack first – she's fairly certain Vader was about to do something with the Force that would render everyone unconscious – there's a startled yelp from one of the clones and a blur of blue, and...

What in the...

No way. This is insane, but she should have expected it, seeing how her master was now. Of course, his children would be as ridiculously reckless and outrageous as he is sometimes.

Luke and Leia proceed to start lopping everyone's blasters in half, giggling maniacally.

Vader throws back all the clones at once – not even Anakin could manage something like that while being completely surrounded, and it amazes her – and they take off before someone can follow.

The twins – she thinks they're twins anyway, because they definitely act like it – are still giggling. Ahsoka can only watch in near amazement. She hasn't been around children much, even if she likes too occasionally. Her specialty is in war; it probably always will be. It's the only life she knows, after all.

"I told you to stay back," Vader scolds, and she thinks he's far irater than he's letting on; Anakin has always been extremely overprotective, but he was good at holding it back, at hiding it. Obi-Wan, not quite so much.

"It worked," Leia argues.

"We're okay!" Luke protests.

"I think what he's going to say now is 'you won't always be'," Ahsoka quotes, smiling faintly.

"I did not take you here to put yourselves in unnecessary danger."

"We'll be okay!" Leia promises brightly, reaching up to take his hand. Ahsoka can't help thinking it's far more adorable than it has any right to be. Her hand is still so tiny, she can barely hold onto more than a few of his fingers.

"If something goes bad, Uncle Ben will take us back!" Luke offers brilliantly.

"Only a fool would rely on Obi-Wan," he almost-snarls, and Ahsoka suspects he would have sounded far more intimidating if he wasn't speaking to his own children. They seem entirely unfazed though, which says a lot about their relationship. Even if he's a Sith, he's obviously as caring as he always was.

Ahsoka would have outright laughed at his words if she didn't immediately get the feeling that there's something far darker and worse than she could ever dream of going on. That is not normal. Something bad must have happened, because Anakin would never say something like that. He loves Obi-Wan far more than he should, and everyone knows that. Ahsoka knows that, too, and even if it worries her sometimes, she doesn't have the heart to warn him about it, or about how un-Jedi-like his feelings are. How could she, when she feels much the same towards Anakin herself?

Then the rest of their conversation catches up to her. "What do you mean, take you back?" she inquires, raising an eye-marking and crossing her arms. She glances around again, just to ensure no one is looking. She neither sees nor senses anyone though, and they continue walking rapidly. Vader can't move the same way he once used to, and she wants to know how that could have happened, but she's afraid to ask. Anakin was always touchy about his arm, and Vader probably is far more so.

"We opened a portal through time," Vader explains. "It required another to hold it open from the opposite side, and I do not trust him."

"Why?" Ahsoka asks, confused. Okay, she knows Anakin doesn't trust him anymore – neither does she – but this is something different.

His mask turns towards her, and she hates she can't see his face, even if she's certain his expression would barely so much as twitch. Anakin was so good at keeping his face blank sometimes; it would drive her insane. "He is a Jedi."

"So am I," she points out.

His anger spikes again. "You are not the same as the others." She decides to leave it at that. Ahsoka doubts she'll get any clearer answers, anyway.

They finally arrive at level 1315 where Barriss told her to go. Ahsoka isn't sure what her friend means about there being a clue there, and she wonders how much Vader knows about this, because she has no idea what's going to happen. It's strange to think about how she could turn to him and ask that question though. She knows he'll protect her if something goes wrong, but this entire situation is unbearably odd.

"Do you know what we're looking for?" Ahsoka inquires, slowly approaching the warehouse.

"I do not know the details of what occurred here previously," Vader admits, "But you were found here nearly unconscious." There is a moment of silence, and his respirator cycles a few times. She can sense instinctively that he's uncertain about something, even without being able to see him. Something about the way he holds himself despite being armored makes it... obvious. "Barriss Offee was a traitor to the Jedi."

Wait –

"What?!" Ahsoka shrieks.

"She is who you are looking for."

"But – what?!" she asks, half-hysterically. That doesn't make any sense! How could Barriss possibly have done that? She wouldn't! "But she – she..."

"She intended to lure you to the warehouse, where you would be arrested," he replies ominously. Ahsoka wants to argue with him. She wants to refuse to believe what he says, to argue against it. It's all too impossible, because Barriss was her friend, and she would never...

"Why would she do that?" Ahsoka demands finally, numbly.

"She saw the Order would fall," Vader replies, cryptically, "She chose to take action."

Ahsoka shakes her head, backing away. She knows he would never intentionally lie to or deceive her, but what he's saying is impossible. It's too much to take in on such short notice. "No," Ahsoka breathes, shaking her head again. "I don't believe that. She wouldn't. She would never do that. She wouldn't!"

Something suddenly prickles at the edge of Ahsoka's senses, like someone's watching her again.

"Dad," Luke begins.

"I know," the Sith replies.

"What is it?" Ahsoka asks, glancing around. She could almost swear she saw something moving out of the corner of her eye, but there's nothing.

"She's here," Leia replies lightly, still holding her father's hand. She doesn't look like she's about to let go any time soon. The Skywalker trio stop walking, and Ahsoka takes it as her cue to stop moving, too. She was going to go inside, but... If Barriss really did it, and she's waiting for them nearby, it would be better to fight outside where she doesn't have as many hiding spots or isn't as familiar with it.

There is a painfully long moment of nothing while everyone just... watches, waiting for the other side to make the first move. Ahsoka is starting to get worried that it's going to be much longer when something suddenly flies through the air, straight at them.

Vader bats it aside with the Force without so much as twitching. Show off.

Vader is none too impressed when the twins go for their lightsabers again. Ahsoka has the feeling they would have lunged for the unseen figure too, if Vader hadn't drawn his lightsaber himself and went forwards into the warehouse with the sharp order of, "Stay back!"

The twins back away, grumbling.

"I agree with him this time," Ahsoka tells them. "It's dangerous, and I don't know what this Dark Sider is like." She doesn't want to believe what Vader said about it being Barriss. She won't until she sees it with her own eyes.

Ahsoka makes out the sound of clashing lightsabers inside almost immediately.

"I don't want to stand and watch!" Leia whines, "He could be hurt!"

"I assure you he's quite capable of taking care of himself." She'd almost be insulted on his behalf, but he did end up like that somehow.

"You're silly," Luke flatly informs his sister, "Dad can handle anything!"

"Really?" Leia huffs, crossing her arms.

"I dragged him out of a crashing fighter a few days ago," Ahsoka finds herself saying, smiling faintly.

"That's what I mean!" Leia exclaims.

"I don't want to stand by either!" Luke argues, "But I don't want to make him mad! Uncle Ben says that's bad!"

Ahsoka has no idea who 'Uncle Ben' is, but she decides not to ask. "He's a Sith," she points out, mildly amused, "He's always angry."

"That's what I mean!" Luke protests, waving his hands, "But I'm tired of standing here!"

"Instead of arguing about why we want to go, why don't we just go?" Leia points out, and the next thing Ahsoka knows, she has identical 'please?' smiles from the twins looking up at her. They're frankly too adorable to refuse, even if she doesn't know if this is the best idea. Besides, she reallywants to know if Vader was telling the truth about who's behind the Temple bombing, even if a part of her is almost too scared to find out.

"Fine, but stay out of the fight," Ahsoka warns, before darting forwards into the building.

The figure fighting against Vader – more like trying to avoid getting killed by him – has a blue lightsaber and though the person has a hood pulled up over their head, Ahsoka notices instantly that they're fighting very much like her best friend. They're the same height too. The presence may be heavily shielded, but she's suddenly struck with the stinging, crushing feeling that maybe Vader was telling the truth after all.

Barriss betrayed her. She tried to frame her, something that will get her killed unless she's able to prove that someone else did it.

And she's the one behind what happened at the Temple. Why?!

Barriss was... one of the closest Jedi friends she has and the betrayal cuts deeper than she thought anything could. Why would she do something like this?

In front of them, Vader moves his left hand ever so slightly, sending Barriss flying backwards into piles of crates behind her. The Mirialan's hood falls back as she drags herself to her feet, gaze briefly landing on Ahsoka before she springs into motion again, blade cutting through something, and the next thing Ahsoka knows, everything behind Barriss is going up in flames. She lifts a piece of burning debris, throwing it at Vader.

The cyborg tosses it aside, though he seems momentarily... distracted? Or at least for whatever reason he doesn't promptly attack Barriss again, and she can feel his sudden tumult of emotions in the Force. The twins promptly charge her instead.

So much for not getting directly involved in the fight.

Barriss tries throwing something else at them, but they duck out of the way, and attack her, lightsabers spinning furiously as they swing for her at all angles. They might be young, but they're good. They're tiny too, so it's hard for the Mirialan to get even close to hitting them with how fast they move.

It's honestly impressive how well they're doing against her, though Ahsoka thinks Barriss might already be minorly injured from her fight with Vader. She stumbles for a moment, and Leia's blade slashes across her arm, right as Barriss is trying to block Luke's lightsaber. She jerks back, nearly dropping her blade, and Luke uses the opportunity to throw her to the ground. They both have their lightsabers leveled at her neck before she has the chance to get up.

"You lost," Luke chirps smugly.

Barriss' expression darkens as she looks between them, but she's smart enough to not move.

"Why?" Ahsoka demands, stepping forwards, her tone betraying her hurt and anger, "Why would you do this?"

"You wouldn't understand," Barriss retorts.

"What is there to understand?" Ahsoka demands, angrily, "You betrayed everyone!"

"You may wish to discuss this later," Vader speaks up, "The clones will be here soon."

Ahsoka throws another glance down at Barriss, before turning and darting over to the entrance of the warehouse. Sure enough, she can see approaching gunships, and she can just make out Anakin in one of them.

Great. They will have a lot of explaining to do.

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