A/N: This takes place right after the events in the opening of Tales of the Jedi episode 5, "Practice Makes Perfect" but has no direct spoilers for the episode. If you've seen the trailer for the show, you should be able to understand the fic. I'm considering adding an epilogue to this, but until then, just enjoy this sweet and simple story. May the Force be with you!

Ultimately, it's Kix who gives her a break that first day.

Kix, and not her Master. Kix, who'd simply heard about the new training exercise from Jesse and stopped by after a medcenter rotation. But you never really 'turn off' being a medic, especially if you were anywhere near Anakin Skywalker. Kix respected him a great deal, but he couldn't help but feel that at any given moment, the General was a walking, talking disaster just waiting to happen.

Ahsoka, on the other hand, was the baby of the battalion. Nevermind that she could kick his ass any day of the week, nevermind that she was a smart, capable commander and tougher than any soldier he'd ever met. She was still their little sister.

And as Kix watched their vod'ika collapse for the third time in less than an hour, knowing that they'd been at this for most of the day, he couldn't help but step in.

Ahsoka didn't hear much of the argument. Or she did, but nothing really registered. Her head hurt and her stomach twisted and every muscle in her body was cramping and spasming. The Force felt sharper for a long moment, matching the medic's voice as he pressed his fingers against her wrist.

Eventually, everything smoothes out and her vision began to clear. There's something shouted about water and then her Master is there, crouched beside her like he had again and again. Or maybe he was always there and she just now noticed.

But this time was different. This time felt heavier; the supportive hand on her back was less symbolic and more literal, stopping her from slumping back to the cold durasteel floor. When she looked up, his encouraging smile didn't quite reach his eyes. But he's there, smiling, when Kix hands her a canteen of water.

She took a small sip and then paused, forcing herself not to chug the whole thing at once, suddenly aware just how thirsty she is. Anakin's there, physically, but also in their bond. It felt strange for a moment, how he lingered on his end, unwilling to cross the mental gap between them. It's not like him to be so restrained, not when his presence has always been this all-encompassing wave that sweeps up everything in its path. She turned inward, searching, probing, and then startled with the realization. Kix grabbed her upper arm, her Master reached for her hand, but she brushed them off.

"Sorry." She tapped the center of her forehead with one finger. "Shields."

She hadn't realized they were gone, didn't even know when they'd fallen in the first place. That detail had been abandoned long ago, as her thoughts had been funneled into only the next attempt at the test.

"I know." He soothed, voice lower and calmer than it'd been all day. "Don't force them, I'll help you put them back later, okay?"

Ahsoka wanted to ask how much later, how much longer she'd have to deal with being hyper-aware of her thoughts and emotions, the feeling of being examined by everyone around her. But she didn't. Right now, she's too worn out to do anything but trust that he's going to handle it.

"Kay. We going back to the Temple?" She frowned, brow furrowing. Is that me? Why do I sound like that, all slurry?

Anakin shook his head. "Not yet. All those Force-sensitives might be a bit much for you right now. We'll go home once you've had a chance to rest and fix your shields. Sound like a plan?"

She pushed herself to her feet, ignoring how Kix was hovering and the clones trying not to stare as she stumbled a bit. With her saber securely clipped to her belt, she looked back at Anakin with as much energy as she could muster.

"Plan." She agreed, wrangling her voice into something recognizable.

Kix managed to rattle off reminders to eat and sleep and limit Force work for a bit before Rex eventually pulled him away.

"He's got her."

Kix appreciated his brother's attempt at reassurance but can't shake how unsettled he feels.

"He pushes her too hard sometimes. I know they're Jedi but she's just a kid."

The captain shrugged. "He's training her to take on the worst the Seppies can throw at her." He looked back over his shoulder at the retreating pair. "You should've seen it. Every time she got stunned, he was right there to help her back up."

"So, where're we going?" Ahsoka asked, once Anakin finished thanking the boys for all their 'help'.

Her Master's grin finally reached his eyes as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, keeping her steady while they walked to the speeder.

"Nowhere special. Friend invited us to dinner."

"Oh, cool." She said, easily matching his nonchalance.

It'll be nice to see Padme.


Ahsoka hated being poor company at late meal, especially with such a rare chance to spend time away from the war. Despite her best efforts, her gaze was distant and she was slow to respond in conversation. All of her thoughts were swirling around every failure in the test, replaying each and every strike, trying to spot her mistakes. She was completely frustrated with herself, with her master, with the whole Separatist army for forcing her into this mess– and way too tired to deal with the feeling.

But Padme was gracious as ever and the hot meal does help her feel slightly less like she'd been run over by an armored tank, though it did nothing for the migraine settled between her eyes.

The senator didn't push; after the dishes were cleared, she politely excused herself to her office to finish up a bit of work on a new relief bill.

Ahsoka knew as well as Anakin that said relief bill wouldn't actually be presented to the Senate for at least another two weeks. And she knew that her Master had no intent of returning to the Temple tonight after all, using her exhaustion as an excuse to spend time alone with Padme. However, she also knew that while she, Obi-Wan, and half the 501st (at least) were aware of the pair's… "connection", her Master believed their facade to be intact. And for tonight, she'll happily keep up her end of the charade.

"You did well today, Snips." Anakin praised as he led her to sit on the common room sofa. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and she automatically leaned into his side, despite her simmering irritation.

"Thank you Master." She said.

I didn't succeed once.

"I didn't expect you to." He countered patiently, despite the resulting pout he should have seen coming. It's hard to hide anything with a training bond and basically impossible with broken shields.

"I hate it when you do that. I'm not trying to project, I can't help it."

"I know you can't, kiddo, but I'm not going to sit here and let you beat yourself up like that."

She shook him off and sat up, turning to face him fully.

"What does it matter? I'm right! We were at it for hours and I still couldn't beat the stupid test!" She got up, hoping to pace off some of her anger, but her vision blurred, forcing her to sit back down. She folded her arms over her chest, deliberately refusing to look at her teacher even as he gently prodded their bond.

"Ahsoka. If you'd passed that test the first time, or even the tenth time– I'd be talking to the council about your trials."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. If he could sense her true attitude anyway, there was little point in pretending.

"I'm serious. If you could always handle everything thrown at you, then I wouldn't have anything to teach you. That's why it's called a padawan learner. Yes, you failed. A lot. But you'll try again and you'll learn. I have complete faith in that."

They sat in silence for a little while as Ahsoka mulled over his words. She knew he was right but struggled to admit it, stubborn nature amplified by the aching bruises scattered across her body. Anakin waited, nudging her ever so slightly through their bond.

"Master?" She said after a time.

"Yeah, Snips?"

"My head really hurts." She sniffed, swiping a quick hand under her eyes. She hadn't wanted to say anything earlier, wanted to show that she could tough it out. She'd done just that, but now it was over. And she felt awful.

Anakin reached out and rubbed her back lightly, slowly floating a healing tendril across their bond. "I know. Here, let's see if we can do something about that."

Sadly, it's an all-too familiar routine for them. Sensitive lekku and loud explosions don't mix, so they'd quickly developed a way to deal with the resulting headaches.

They get settled easily: Ahsoka lying down with her head in her Master's lap, staring up at the ornate ceiling of the apartment. Her hands are folded over her stomach, just below her ribcage, with Anakin's prosthetic resting over hers.

His other hand was warm where he set it in the dip between her montrals. Without the glove, she could feel the calluses on his fingers tracing over her forehead markings, slow and careful.

They spend a moment synchronizing their breaths until even the sounds of Coruscant traffic outside have faded away into the background.

"You ready?"

She worried at her lip with a sharp tooth, one of her nervous tells he'd spotted the moment she stepped off the shuttle on Christophsis.

"Not sure how long I can concentrate."

He smiled, squeezing her hands lightly. "Don't worry about that. I'll take the lead, just close your eyes and try to relax for me."

Despite how tired she was, Ahsoka still hesitated. Her mind replayed every time she'd been stunned in training, lingering on the moments when her vision had grayed out until she shut her eyes. Being knocked unconscious was very different from falling asleep or meditating, but there was something in the back of her mind that wouldn't separate the sensations.

Anakin released a pulse of warmth through her forehead, coaxing her to let go.

"I've got you, padawan." He murmured. "You're safe."

Ahsoka exhaled shakily and latched onto his steadiness, letting it ground her. She was safe, without a doubt. She'd been safe every time she was knocked to the floor and she was safe with him now.

With another deep breath, she closed her eyes and let herself sink beneath the Force's waves.

She could feel Anakin's presence, burning brightly at the other end of their link. He pulled on that mental tether between them, drawing her closer until the last connection to the surface crumbled. No sound, no touch, her awareness condensed into a single sense- the Force. And with that, she went into freefall.

She fell.

And fell.

And fell.

And landed. Caught in a web, each thread stretching out from her bond with Anakin. The strands cradled her, wound around her signature until she was completely enveloped in a mix of energies and emotion.

The tension and stress seeped out of her, the Force draining it away like a garden soaks up the rain.

/That's it, little one. Flow with the energy, don't try to control it./

Ahsoka did her best to convey some sort of understanding, entirely absorbed in the feeling of the Force running through her veins, infusing into her muscles and bones. It never failed to amaze her that something so powerful, something that could be used for immense destruction and darkness was also so incredibly gentle. The push and pull of warmth like an embrace and coolness like streams of water was but a fraction of the Force's incredible duality.

Light and dark. Master and apprentice. Pain and healing.

Healing that surrounded her so completely, it was almost effortless for Anakin to help her replace and strengthen her shielding. That raw nerve was finally soothed and protected after a very long and difficult day. Each insecurity drawn out and set free, scattering like fallen leaves.

/Get some rest, Snips. No need to hurry back./

The web expanded into a blanket, wrapping her up in his feelings of safety and care and calm. Feelings that were so difficult for him to hold onto, but he always called them forth for her.

One day, she would call him on it. She'd demand that he accept some of the compassion and patience that he showed her, the clones, even Artoo.

She needed him to know how important he was to her, how he deserved to feel safe just as much as he wanted her to be safe. It was like he'd told her earlier that day: the best way to care for him was to insist he care about himself.

It didn't matter how long it took or how many times she had to say it. Ahsoka was willing to say it again.

And again.

And again.