Author's Notes: After rereading how short those both are, I decided a third was in order! Happy weekend😉 So much excitement lately, I thought it might be high time for a break in the action! Not that this'll be boring (I hope not, anyway😳). Jk, I don't think that far ahead😂


Chapter XII

The slow beep of a machine woke her from deep slumber, and her first thought was, Urrgh. Am I ever going to wake up normally again? Her second thought was, Wait. I'm alive?

She opened her eyes and felt a smile tug on her lips.

Anakin and Obi-wan were both passed out beside her, Anakin folded in half with his head on the table, Obi-wan squeezed into an infirmary chair.

Next to Anakin, there was a tray of still-steaming food. That must've been what woke me up. Her stomach growled, and she decided to give it a shot.

Carefully sitting up, she blinked as the room spun slightly. Ahh, this is probably not a good idea. Oh well, what am I gonna do, starve? She was reluctant to wake the Generals, as something told her they needed their sleep.

Swinging her feet over the bed, she held onto the pole of the IV tightly as she reached her bare feet to the floor. Her muscles held steady for a split second - yay! - before she went down.

Right before she would've hit the floor and caused a racket to wake the dead, strong arms grabbed her under the shoulders and lifted her back onto the bed.

"Let me help you with that," whispered the warm voice of the orange Jedi. He reached over and grabbed the tray, setting it gently in her hands.

She gave him a grateful smile. Whispering back, she said, "Thank you… Master Plo?" She was unsure of the name that had suddenly popped into her head.

"Yes!" The Keldorian Master praised quietly. "You must be getting your memory back."

Ahsoka looked down at her food, suddenly feeling shy. "Some of it." She took a bite to forestall any more questions.

Master Plo simply stood by the table, watching her eat.

When she was down to her last few bites, Anakin stirred. His groan got Obi-wan stirring. Soon they were both stretching and moaning in unison.

"Good morning," Master Plo said, and Anakin groaned louder.

"We've gotta get some couches in here," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Agreed," Obi-wan concurred, standing and stretching his back out.

"Why?" Ahsoka heard, and then realized it was her that had spoken when all three men froze in their actions and looked at her. She cleared her throat. "I mean, there's no reason. If you can just give me my clothes back, you can drop me off anywhere."

Anakin gave a nervous chuckle. "You're not getting away from us a third time, Snips."

"Well… yes," she said, mirroring the confused looks they were giving her. "I'm not fit to be anyone's apprentice. I would only be a burden to you." Her gaze turned to the dishes in her lap, unable as she was to face her rescuers with such poor thanks. "And my mind - " She broke off, swallowing the lump in her throat as she thought about what a twisted mess her mind had become. "I don't even remember who I was before. I can't even remember before." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "All I know is life in that castle… with that man. The constant hunger. The constant exhaustion. Not enough food, not allowed to sleep." Now her volume rose, following her anger, as she remembered everything that had been done to her. "Having my body torn apart and my mind assaulted in so many different ways I lost count!"

Her rant was interrupted by a medical droid arriving with a tray of glasses and a pitcher of water.

She inhaled sharply, memories assaulting her so quickly she couldn't even think. The sloshing sound the water made as it settled on the table made her feel ill with fear. "Please, no. Take it away." She yanked hard on her collar, trying to pull her thoughts onto something other than the crashing waves beneath her, threatening to pull her under and swallow her without a sound. Or the cold water filling her nose and throat so she couldn't breathe, trying to suck air in and instead choking and spluttering as the water got into her lungs and she was -

Obi-wan managed to thrust a bowl at her right before she would've vomited everywhere. She heard one of them quickly moving the tray out of sight, but sadly, the sound still carried. She vomited again. Well, there goes your nice dinner.

When her stomach finally calmed, she wiped her mouth, and set the bowl aside. "See what I mean?" She asked ruefully. "I don't know what I was like in your service before, but now - now I'm weak." She buried her face in her hands, not wanting them to see the tears that were spilling out.

"Ahsoka, none of what you just said is true," she heard Anakin say, his voice coming closer until she felt a dip beside her on the bed.

"No, it is!" She insisted, trying to get a grip on her emotions. "It's just easier on all of us if I l-leave." Great, I'm stammering. "I know you didn't want me when we met. And I know you never changed your m-mind, since you never said anyth-thing when I did a good j-job on an as-assignment. And I know Obi-wan - " She looked up at the bearded Jedi, who appeared startled at being included. "I know you'd much rather h-have Anakin back to yourself. You two are li-like brothers and I know I ruin that."

Wiping her tears, she squared her shoulders, lifted her chin. She looked the three stunned men in the eye. "So if someone could just get me some clothes, I'll be gone in an hour."