A/N: A big thanks to the new followers and those who reviewed. It really means the world to me. That's the only way I know anyone is out there and enjoying my story (at least I hope you're enjoying it!). So, on we go! I hope this works. It was a wee bit difficult to fit Alés in to an episode that was already so amazing. Let me know what you think!

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8ball3: It was just a kiss on his helmet while they were on Trask. :) And yes, he's becoming protective. We certainly see that in how he is with Grogu and I figured he wouldn't be any different towards Alés at this point. Thanks for the review!

multy: Yup. We've got Ahsoka now. There will be some discussion between the two women about attachments.

Mariah: Two chapters with Ahsoka! I've already rewatched both seasons (and season 2 a few times) already. :) I'm thinking there's something in the Boba mini-series that will usher us into S3 but I still don't like that they've pushed their flagship series back a year.

Love: Thanks!

Paul: I like Ahsoka a lot and I was so glad to see her come to live action. :) Thanks for the review!

Jimmy: Thanks, I do, too. :)

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All Hail Dave and Jon (and George Lucas of course!). I can't thank them enough for them amazing world.

Alés and Din sat away from where Ahsoka was conversing with the little one. Well, she was sitting. Din was pacing like a caged nexu. She knew it would be pointless to say anything to him; he wouldn't relax until he knew what was going on. Eventually Ahsoka brought the child back to them, placing the lantern on the ground as she situated herself on a log. Nothing was said for a moment then the little one made a cooing sound.

"Is he speaking? Can you understand him?"

"In a way. Grogu and I can feel each other's thoughts."

"Grogu?"

The child made another cooing sound and lifted his head up to look at Din.

"Yes. That's his name."

"Grogu." Another answering coo and Alés's heart melted a bit at the momentary joy she felt coming from the man beside her.

"He was raised at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Many masters trained him over the years."

Alés nodded. "I learned as much from the facility on Arvala-5. I had hoped he hadn't been a prisoner there all these years."

"At the end of the Clone Wars, when the Empire rose to power, he was taken from the Temple and hidden."

"Hidden? By who?"

"He does not know. His memories become dark after leaving the Temple but he was alone." She looked over at Grogu who appeared to be falling asleep. "Can he still wield the Force?"

"Yes but it seems to tire him out if he does," she told her.

"My quest was to bring him to a Jedi. Alés says she cannot help him."

"The Jedi Order fell a long time ago."
"So did the Empire yet it still hunts him. He needs your help."

Ahsoka stared at the little one for a little longer then sighed.

"Let him sleep. I'll test him in the morning."

"Thank you," she said as Din gently lifted Grogu into his arms. The Togruta didn't reply only continued to regard the child sadly.

Alés was amazed to see a small stream and green moss covering rocks and the ground in the clearing Ahsoka lead them to the next morning. The other Jedi must have caught her look of surprise.

"I have spent much time in this space since coming to this planet. The presence of a positive source of energy has helped things begin to regrow here." She turned to where Din was waiting with Grogu. "Let's see what knowledge is lurking inside that little mind."

Indicating he should place the child on a nearby rock she picked something up off the ground and turned to face him. Lifting her hand a small stone floated through the air towards a pair of tiny outstretched hands. Alés felt herself relax a bit. It had been so long since she'd been around another Jedi, since she'd seen someone else utilize the Force. It was very comforting. Once the child had the stone in hand Ahsoka flipped her hand over.

"Now, return the stone to me, Grogu."

He stared at the Jedi for a moment with uncertainty on his face.

"He doesn't understand."

Her attention didn't waver from the child. "He does. It's okay. The stone, Grogu."

The little one fiddled with the rock a moment longer while staring at Ahsoka then dropped it with a sinking of his shoulders, his head lowering a bit. She heard Din's frustrated sigh but her heart went out to the little guy. It was clear he was uncertain of something. Ahsoka squatted in front of him and took his hand, closing her eyes to focus on him.

"I sense much fear in you," she murmured then rose to her feet. "He's hidden his abilities over the years to survive. Let's try something else. Come over here."

Din jerked his head towards the child urging him to follow the other woman.

"He's stubborn," he explained when Grogu didn't budge.

Ahsoka grinned. "Not him. You. I want to see if he'll listen to you."

"That would be a first."

Alés couldn't hold back her snort of amusement at his statement.

"I like firsts. Good or bad they're always memorable." She placed the stone in his glove. "Now, hold the stone out in the palm of your hand. Tell him to lift it up."

Another sign emanated from under the beskar helmet. "All right, kid. Lift the stone." He obligingly held his hand out.

"Grogu," Ahsoka reminded him with a smirk before joining Alés off to the side.

"Grogu … come on, take the stone." The little one cooed at him some more but did not try to move the stone from his hand. Din dropped the stone in anger.

"You see? I told you he was stubborn."

"Try to connect with him."

Alés realized she was holding her breath as Mandalorian and child silently observed one another. Slowly Din reached into a belt pouch and pulled out the silver controller knob.

"Grogu," he said gently, holding it out in his hand. "Do you want this?" There was an answering coo. "Well, go ahead. That's right, take it … Come on. You can have it." Grogu lifted one little hand, narrowed his eyes in concentration, and the ball zipped through the air to him.

"Good job! Good job, kid! You see that?" he asked, looking at Ahsoka. He went and crouched down in front of Grogu, gently lifting the ball from his hand. "That's right. I knew you could do it. Very good."

There was true fatherly pride in Din's voice and she smiled to hear it.

"He's formed a strong attachment to you." Alés looked at Ahsoka, hearing something she didn't like in her voice. "I cannot train him."

Din shot to his feet. "What? Why not? You've seen what he can do."

"His attachment to you makes him vulnerable to his fears, his anger."

"All the more reason to train him." She could hear his disbelief and frustration

"No. I've seen what such feelings can do to a fully trained Jedi Knight … to the best of us." There was anguish in her voice. Before Din could argue more she motioned for Ahsoka to follow her and they moved to the other side of the clearing.

"I will not start this child down that path. Better to let his abilities fade," she warned.

"What have you seen?" she asked when she was fairly certain they couldn't be overheard.

"You are a Jedi." It was a statement rather than a question.

"I am … or was going to be. I was only eight when the Order fell. My training after that was … unusual to say the least but Master Barsi did the best he could. I doubt my training would be considered 'complete.'"

A small smile lifted the corners of Ahsoka's lips. "I'm very familiar with unusual training. Mine began in the midst of the Clone Wars and my master Anakin had an unusual -"

"You were Master Skywalker's apprentice?" Alés recoiled slightly as memories flashed through her mind of a man she had trusted, revered, cut down other Jedi.

Ahsoka's expression turned sad. "You were there that night?"

"I was. My Master managed to get me out but not before I saw … him."

"You are fully aware of the Jedi Code and what it says. What happened to Anakin showed me the danger attachment brings to a Jedi. That is why I cannot train him; he is too attached to your Mandalorian."

Alés flushed slightly at the implication that Din was in some way hers. "I do not believe attachment is the problem. My Master and I discussed the Order in depth over the years and what could have caused such a catastrophic downfall. Besides other outdated ideas, the notion that having feelings was bad or a weakness was a fundamental reason why - in our opinion - the Order was so easily destroyed. Younglings and Padawans should have been taught how to handle their emotions rather than denying they existed. Experiencing emotions is natural but if you are unprepared for them and do not know how to handle them it could certainly lead you to act irrationally, leave you vulnerable. The Jedi Order, and its Code, are gone. Perhaps if they had been able to adjust and adapt to the way things were changing that could have been prevented. But it wasn't. Survivors and other Force users will have to forge a new path and clinging to the old ways is not going to work." She met the other woman's eyes. "I do not know what brought about Master Skywalker's downfall but if it was due to attachment as you suggest then I don't believe it was the having one that caused the problem but the way he responded to it."

"He always had a habit of acting rashly," Ahsoka replied though Alés could tell she wasn't really convinced. "I've delayed too long. I must get back to the village."

"The Magistrate sent him here to kill you." A slightly incredulous look was the response she got. "He didn't agree to anything. We can help you with your problem if you see to it that Grogu is properly trained."

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Alés let Din and Ahsoka lead the way back through the forest. He was outlining what they would be facing inside the walls of the town as they discussed their plan of action. The two in front of her had years of experience fighting. She did not and was wise enough to know she had nothing to add. They were careful in their planning as they went through everything step by step. Their plan was simple and straightforward and the part she was to play was well within what she felt capable of. As Din was offering his not very helpful thoughts on how their lightsabers would not be able to stop all the firepower that awaited them Ahsoka stopped with a grin.

"Do not underestimate the Magistrate either."

"Who is she? She offered me a staff of pure beskar to kill you."

"Morgan Elsbeth. During the Clone Wars her people were massacred. She survived and let her anger fuel an industry that which helped build the Imperial Starfleet. She plundered worlds, destroying them in the process."

"Looks like she's still in business," Alés commented, running her hands along the trunk of a stripped and burned tree.

"When you were in the city did you see any prisoners?"

Din nodded. "There were three strung up just outside the inner gate."

"We must find a way to free them."

"Get me close enough and I'll be able to get them down," she assured her.

"A Mandalorian and two Jedi? They'll never see it coming."

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As soon as she heard the alarm Alés easily leapt over the wall knowing Ahsoka had engaged the guards at the gate. Keeping to the shadows she moved close enough to keep an eye on the inner gate and the prisoners. When the short confrontation between the Magistrate and Ahsoka ended with the guards chasing after the Jedi she hurried forward so she would be ready to free the three villagers. Her window of opportunity was small; she'd heard the order that was given. When the remaining guards approached the cages with their blasters raised she leapt from her place and slashed through the first one. She heard the distinctive sound of Din's jet pack as he landed and finished off the other guard.

"Hurry. We don't have much time," she urged. One of the villagers scampered out of a nearby home to help get the three prisoners to safety inside. Just as the door closed behind them Lang appeared from the side of a building across the street. He stood and stared silently, his eyes flitting from the two of them to where Ahsoka had appeared on top of the inner wall. After a moment of quiet contemplation she dropped out of sight and they were left facing the solitary solider.

"So you threw in with the Jedi," he sneered at Din.

"Looks that way. With two of them actually."

"What?"

"Two Jedi. As in more than one," Alés purred, taking a few steps forward and igniting her saber. She moved in front of the home the freed prisoners had just run in to and met the man's very surprised stare. He looked from her to Din then back again.

"A Jedi?" There was the slightest hint of concern in his voice now. She said nothing, merely keeping eye contact with him while she kept up with the ebb and flow of the battle she could now sense between Ahsoka and the Magistrate through the Force. "Why aren't you on the other side of that wall with her?"

"That is not my fight."

He pursed his lips. "Who do you think's gonna win?" When they didn't answer he shrugged a bit. "Could be your side. Could be mine."

They remained silent. She could almost hear the man's frantic thoughts out loud as he tried to find a way to gain an upper hand. Din appeared relaxed but she could read the tenseness in his body and the way he held his hand near his hip. For a moment she wondered if Lang was as foolish as she was sensing. It was a strange sensation to be feeling so many different things at once: Din's alertness, Lang's frantic struggle to find a way out of the mess, the quickly escalating fight beyond the inner wall. She didn't try to fight any of it though, keeping herself as relaxed as possible to allow the Force to flow through her. Having its help might be crucial over the next few minutes. The man in front of them, despite whatever he used to be, was now a mercenary and not to be trusted.

"I've got no quarrel with you, Mandalorian." He looked at her. "Or with you, Jedi, though my offer still stands." He moved forward a bit and Din put up a hand.

"That's far enough."

"You and I are a lot alike. Willing to lay our lives down for the right cause." He paused and glanced between them. "Which this is not."

The tense silence stretched out several more minutes until there was a loud metallic crash. There was a fleeting burst of relief from Ahsoka through the Force.

"Sounds like you win," Lang stated with feigned casualness. He held out his blaster as if offering it to Din in surrender and slowly lowered it to the ground. As soon as it touched the cobblestones he whipped another from a holster behind his back and fired in her direction. Almost in tandem she brought her blade up to deflect it as Din shot the man in the chest, sending him onto his back. Lang didn't move again.

"Are you alright?" The tenseness in his words couldn't be removed even with his helmet's voice modulator.

"I'm fine. A youngling could've seen that coming."

The door behind them slid open and the dark haired villager cautiously approached them.

"Thank you."

"Are the other villagers okay?" she asked.

He nodded with a smile. "Yes. Without -"

She felt the droid's approach before it appeared over the roof across the street and flung her saber at it. The white blade spun in a tight circle and sliced right through its neck before spinning back to her hand. Din whipped around to face her and she could just imagine the wide eyed expression he probably was wearing. She just shrugged with a small smile.

The Mandalorian and two Jedi stood outside the city gate.

"I believe this was your payment," Ahsoka said, holding a thin, silver spear towards Din.

"No. I can't accept. I didn't finish the job."

Ahsoka smiled. "No but this belongs with a Mandalorian." After a slight hesitation he inclined his head slightly and took it from her. "Where is your little friend?"

"Back at the ship. Wait here. I'll go get him," he said, choking on the words then striding off towards the trees. Giving Ahsoka a parting nod Alés followed making sure to give him space as she could tell he needed it. Nothing she could say at the moment would be helpful. When they got back to the Crest she remained outside for a while wanting him to be able to say his goodbye in private. When she saw Ahsoka approaching a bit later she made her way up the ramp and paused at the top. Her heart jumped into her throat as she watched Din sit with the little guy. They weren't talking or doing anything … just sitting together. The picture they presented almost broke her heart. Turning on her heel she strode back down the ramp; she would not interrupt. The other Jedi was waiting for her.

"What will you do now that the Magistrate has been defeated?"

"There are things to clean up here and then I have my own mission to finish."

Alés hesitated then asked what had been on her mind since the night before.

"Why was I not able to communicate with Grogu as you have?"

"The Force works in mysterious ways. Perhaps you were supposed to come here. Perhaps we both needed to see there were other Jedi alive." She met her gaze. "Perhaps you do not fully trust your abilities. In much the same way as Grogu you have avoided using your powers for fear of detection. Now you do not know whether you're still capable of all the things you were taught."

That was an eye opening thought.

"And you still will not train him?"

"I cannot."

"We sought you out to help him. The Force brought us to you. He needs training even if it's just enough to keep him from remaining so vulnerable."

Ahsoka's eyes flicked up to where Din had appeared with Grogu in his arms.

"There is something you could try."

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Din watched the women talk with growing trepidation. Ahsoka Tano was a Jedi, one of the sorcerers they'd been seeking, and even though she had said she could not keep the kid – Grogu – with her he doubted that resolve would hold. Eventually she would agree to take him and train him and he most likely would never see him again. Whatever it was that Jedi did probably would not cross paths with whatever he would be doing. He'd fly away in the Crest never to hear the kid's babbling and cooing again, never bend down to pick him up when the little guy lifted his arms towards him. The overwhelming feeling of loss took him by surprise and he tried to fight it down. This was what he had agreed to do so why was he letting it upset him? Nevertheless something twisted a bit in his gut and the kid looked up at him as if he could sense his swirling emotions. He took a deep breath when Alés approached him.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Why do you ask?"

She tilted her head a bit as she regarded him. "I can sense quite a bit of agitation in you."

"I thought you never pried into others' minds."

"I didn't have to; it's rolling off you in waves."

He hesitated and she could feel him trying to bring some inner turmoil under control. "Is everything settled?"

She gave him a puzzled look. "I suppose it is."

There seemed to be an almost perceptible sagging of his shoulders though she wasn't sure why he would be upset. Yes, he'd grown attached to Grogu but this was what he had set out to do. Perhaps he was just ready to be rid of them? Had he been hoping they'd stay with whatever Jedi they came upon? A stab of pain sliced through her and she struggled to keep her face calm. After that brief moment on Coruscant and what he'd said on Trask she'd thought … she supposed once he had done what he'd been tasked to do he would only naturally want to return to bounty hunting. At least he wouldn't have Gideon chasing him.

"She has something to tell us," Alés told him, rather pleased with how well she kept her disappointment out of her voice. The turned to where Ahsoka was waiting.

"You're like a father to him," she stated. "I cannot train him."

"You made a promise and we kept our part of the deal."

She approached and took the little one's hand. "There is one possibility. Go to the planet Tython. You will find the ancient ruins of a temple that has a strong connection to the Force. Place Grogu on the seeing stone at the top of the mountain."

"Then what?"

"Then Grogu may choose his path. If he reaches out through the Force there's a chance a Jedi may sense his presence and come searching for him." She crossed her arms on her chest and gave Alés a quick glance. "Then again, there aren't many Jedi left."

"Thank you."

"May the Force be with you," Ahsoka said to the both of them.

Alés's chest constricted a bit. It had been so long since she'd heard that phrase. "May the Force be with you," she replied with a bow of her head then followed Din and the child back into the Crest.