The Reunion
A.N.: Timeline setting: A few years after 'To Take Down An Emperor'. Connected to one of the previous ones shots, ;The Healer'.
Ezra Bridger sat in the pilot seat of the Phantom II, hands steady on the joystick as he piloted the transport through the clouds around him. He was no expert in piloting himself, even with Hera's training, but he knew enough to be able to do this solo.
It also helped that the weather seemed to be stable today. There was no harsh wind storm, or thunderous shower. Just calm air for him to fly to. That was one thing off his mind at least, for he was almost sure that today would either end with happiness and joy, or anger and rage.
Ezra wouldn't be too surprised if it was the latter, considering what he was about to.
It had been late on night on Yavin Four. The majority of the crew had either been asleep, or completing menial tasks around the rebel base, most likely paperwork. The only person who seemed to be actively awake was Kallus of all people. Then again, Ezra wasn't sure if Kallus ever really slept. The man was a workaholic!
Ezra himself had just been climbing into his bunk when his personal comm link had flashed at him. At first guess he assumed it was another mission of some kind, or some report he needed to give to someone.
It hadn't been either of them, and it had been sent to his personal account, as opposed to his more heavily encrypted officer account he used as a Lieutenant Commander of the rebellion.
His interest gained, Ezra had opened the message, his eyes widening at it's contents. It was a short simple message from an individual he had met unexpectedly on his travels, one who harbored a dark past filled with regret and remorse. He had suspected that this day would come, when the woman he had met would build up enough confidence to approach him to help her.
And he was more than willing to help reunite two old friends, even if their friendship had ended badly.
And so it was that he had in the thick of night borrowed the Phantom, with authorization from Hera, and began his journey.
The trip through hyperspace to Mirial had been short and uneventful, a vast difference to his last trip to the planet. This time round there had been no TIE Defender to shoot him down, for which Ezra was grateful. He hate to have to tell Hera that he had wrecked yet another Phantom.
Sabine would probably kill him too to be fair. After all, the Mandalorian woman had spent a lot of time and effort on painting the damn shuttle.
Landing on the planet had been easy too, and the woman who had called for him was already waiting upon his arrival. She looked nervous on first glance, terrified even. Ezra understood why. Frankly, in her position, there was no way in a million years he would ever try to do what she wanted to do.
She may not have realized it, but she was being very brave today. Ezra could see why she had been a Jedi in the past.
The Mirialan woman had boarded the Phantom in silence, taking her position in the co-pilot seat, her eyes darting around in what Ezra assumed was apprehension.
It occurred to Ezra that this could very well be the first time she had been off the planet for years, considering her past. Her time spent as a spiritual healer had kept her busy.
When it had appeared she was settled and comfortable, Ezra had thrown a warm smile her way and taken control of the ship again, lifting it into orbit and preparing the hyperdrive for the second time today.
The second trip was just as uneventful as the first trip, but had left time for discussion between the two.
"So how exactly do you know Ahsoka? Is she your teacher?" The Mirialan woman that Ezra knew as Salvia asked, her voice light and gentle, but clearly hiding her inner doubts and worry about the impending reunion.
"She's more of a second master in a way, offering me advice when Kanan's falls through, which is rare as it is." Ezra replied, as he watched the vortex of blue light through the cockpit window.
"I don't recall anyone named Kanan in the temple when I was there. Did he change his name?" Salvia responded, clearly confused.
Ezra nodded in reply. Surely there was no harm in telling Salvia these things. After all, she was trying to, in her own words, find redemption.
And from what he had learnt as a Jedi, they believed strongly in second chances.
Ahsoka's alliance with Maul was evidence enough for that!
"Yeah he did. Back then he was called Caleb Dume, but changed it to hide after the Jedi purge."
From the corner of his eye Ezra saw Salvia's eyes widen slightly in what he assumed was recognition. It appeared that, despite Kanan's statements refuting it, young Caleb Dume was a well known name around the old order.
Ezra could only begin to fathom why his master was so notorious.
"Well he's taught a strong young padawan. You should be proud of yourself. I know I would be if you were my padawan." Salvia replied, her voice sounding happy and enthusiastic for the first time coming aboard the Phantom.
Ezra had nodded his thanks, before turning his attention back to monitoring the various readouts around the cockpit. The two sat in comfortable silence for several minutes, both either watching the vortex of hyperspace, or checking the various readouts.
Then Salvia spoke again, her voice timid and unsure.
"Do you think she will forgive me. I know I wouldn't."
Ezra had thought long and hard about this, even if it wasn't his to think about. Yes, Salvia had betrayed Ahsoka, and practically destroyed her life for a time being.
But the Togrutan woman had had changed since then. Her life had not been ruined, but merely altered.
And now she was happy, by her own admission, something that had not happened since the Clone Wars.
Salvia on the other hand was another story. She had paid the price, done her time, and was still evidently racked by everlasting guilt over what she had done. It was clear from when Ezra had met her before that Salvia regretted her actions, and that she wanted either to make amends, or at the very least have the opportunity to apologize, even if it wasn't accepted.
In the end, that was what mattered most. That she tried at the very least.
That was the response he gave to Salvia, who seemed despondent at it, but understanding at the same time.
The rest of the trip through hyperspace had been silent, as had the approach to the moon that Ahsoka Tano now called home. He had only ever been to her personal apartment once before, shortly after the mission to eliminate the Emperor. He and Kanan had traveled there with Obi-Wan for a simple personal visit. It was a rather spacious place for one person, holding all the necessities that one would need to live comfortably in the middle of nowhere.
It was, in Ezra's mind, the perfect place for Ahsoka to retire to after so many years of fighting. Plus Ezra was certain that it wasn't just her home after all now.
As the Phantom cleared the clouds in the sky, the ride became even smoother. Gently tilting the joystick that controlled the angle of the transport, Ezra angled the ship downwards for a comfortable landing.
When he felt the ship touch the floor, he powered off it's systems, glancing out at the small house in the distance. Both he and Salvia would have to walk the rest of the way.
The walk barely took them five minutes, not that Ezra was truly expecting it to take long in the first place. After all his training, both physical and mental, the walk had barely been more than a simple stroll.
Salvia appeared to be the same. She seemed composed and steadfast, as if determined to do what she had come here to do. Ezra wasn't sure if it was a brave face she was putting on, but he wasn't going to risk pointing it out and destabilizing her mentally. He knew firsthand what regret could do to a person.
Instead, he reached into the force, trying to find her presence within it. Her signature was there, just barely. It was as if she was purposefully trying to conceal it, almost out of shame.
Still, he sent what reassuring energy he could to it, hoping it would keep her calm.
And then, before he knew it, they had arrived at the front door.
Turning around, he locked eyes with Salvia one last time.
"You ready for this?"
Salvia hesitated, her eyes giving away the turmoil within. She was about to face her entire past, all contained within one person. It was only natural that she was scared.
But still, despite this, the Mirialan seemed resolute. She closed her eyes briefly, taking several slow steady breaths, before nodding to Ezra.
In response, the young Jedi nodded back, before turning around and knocking on the door thrice.
From the other side of the door, Ezra managed to pick up the sound of movement, as well as a light voice stating they were coming. It was early morning on the moon, meaning that the occupants most likely had only just gotten up. Hopefully they wouldn't mind the early morning disruption.
A few seconds later, the door opened, and a figure stood before them, one that was not Ahsoka.
"Hey, Ezra, it's good to see you. What's up?" Kaeden Larte spoke, her voice as chipper as ever. As long as Ezra had known the woman she was cheerful, never letting any darker more upsetting emotions take hold, which was remarkable, considering what she had endured years before at the hands of an Inquisitor.
Ezra liked Kaeden. In a strange way, she reminded him of his own mother. Always kind and compassionate, and willing to help anyone who needed it. She was good match for the usually hectic Togruta that she now lived with. She kept her balanced and in control.
A fulcrum in a way.
"Hey Kaeden, is Ahsoka in? I've got someone with me who needs to speak to her." Ezra replied as he was pulled into an embrace by Kaeden. That was another thing about the dark skinned woman. She was a very loving individual.
Behind him, he felt Salvia shift on her heels, clearly confused by the sudden appearance of a woman who was not Ahsoka in what was supposedly Ahsoka's house.
"Yeah she's in Ezra. Doing her morning meditation. She'll be down in a minute." Kaeden replied, gesturing for Ezra to enter into the house before glancing over at Salvia, "Who's this with you then?"
"This is Salvia. She's a friend of Ahsoka's from before the fall of the republic. She wants to talk to Ahsoka about something."
Kaeden's face went through a myriad of emotions in several seconds. There was doubt, and then concern, and then suspicion, before acceptance.
"Ok then, come on in Salvia. Can I get you anything while we wait for our favorite Togruta?" Kaeden replied, stepping aside in the process to welcome Salvia into the home.
For the first time since the door opened Salvia spoke, her voice soft and gentle, with a hint of trepidation. Ezra suspected he knew why. Ahsoka's force signature was very strong when in close proximity to it, especially after being away from it for a while.
"No thank you, I'm ok."
Before anymore discussion could be had, the sound of feet slowly walking down padded stairs hit Ezra's ears. Glancing at Salvia, Ezra noticed that she had frozen, her entire body going tense in dread. Kaeden's expression was the exact opposite. A bright smile was plastered on her face.
Seconds later, a familiar Togruta rounded the corner from the bottom of the stairs, dressed in unexpectedly casual clothing devoid of any armour. It was a far cry from the usual attire the former Jedi wore.
Ahsoka spotted Ezra first, a surprised smile coming to her face first as she moved to great the young Jedi.
"Ezra! This is a welcome surprise. Is everything ok?"
Before Ezra could even get out a response, Kaeden interrupted.
"Ezra's brought someone to see you. Apparently she's an old friend of yours."
The look of confusion on Ahsoka's face was brief, before her eyes shifted across the hallway they were in, looking onto the figure of Salvia, who still stood still.
Ezra watched Ahsoka for reaction. For a moment, there was none, and then confusion.
And then her eyes sharpened suddenly in what appeared to be recognition.
Ahsoka's face contorted suddenly, in what Ezra could only describe as feral rage. He knew Togruta were a naturally carnivorous species of hunter gatherers, but he had never expected to see Ahsoka in such a way. The former Jedi was all but snarling, her sharp canine teeth suddenly being bared to the world.
And then one word escaped Ahsoka's mouth, in a tone Ezra had never heard before.
"You!" It was said with utter contempt and hatred, as if she was spitting acid out of her gums. Had he not known that Ahsoka was a genuinely nice person, he'd almost mistake her for some monster out for blood. He knew that Ahsoka and Salvia's relationship had ended badly. But he had never expected this reaction.
What happened next however scared him even more. Ahsoka's normally bright blue eyes flashed golden briefly, and Ezra's senses were overcome with a rush of the darkside of the force.
And then, just like that the feeling was gone, and Ahsoka's eyes were bright blue again.
And with that she promptly stormed off back up the stairs, leaving a despondent Salvia, a horrified Ezra, and a confused Kaeden in her wake.
Barriss Offee had expected this reaction. She knew that Ahsoka would hate her. Did hate her. She hated herself for what she had done to her old friend. Yes, the Jedi had been corrupt, and the republic had been failing in everything it stood for.
But Ahsoka hadn't. She had been a shining example of everything that was good, at least in Barriss' eyes. Barriss had been a good padawan, always following orders and keeping to tradition. Ahsoka had been the exact opposite. Outgoing and confident, yet incredibly skilled and successful. The bond she shared with her master had been incredibly close, giving rise to all sorts of rumours back in the day, not that there had been any truth behind them. It was quite the contrast in the end of the day to herself and Master Luminara.
Her and Ahsoka had been an odd friendship, especially to any outsider. The rebel and the studious one.
But Barriss had treasured that. It was nice for once to have someone who saw her as Barriss the friend, rather than Barriss the Jedi.
And then she had betrayed her, framed her.
Left her to die.
And everything had fallen apart. Yes, Barriss had gotten the message across that she wanted to, but it had cost her everything. Her place as a Jedi, her name…
And her best friend.
And then, when everything had fallen apart even further, she had taken the opportunity to run, start afresh, and hopefully find some sort of redemption, even if she deserved none. She had always been good at healing people, and that she figured would be the best way to honour the memory of all who had fallen, as well as the memory of her friend.
Except that her friend had been alive all this time, and here she was now in her house, facing her for the first time in two decades. She had grown considerably, her height towering over everyone else in the room. Barriss could imagine her standing next to her former Master, gloating about who was taller.
She had looked well, healthy with little wear upon her.
And then Ahsoka had seen her, and her entire demeanor had shifted into one of anger. The bright golden eyes that had flashed would haunt her, Barriss knew. What had happened to Ahsoka that had pushed her to what appeared to be the edge of the darkside?
Blinking her eyes to escape her inner thoughts, Barriss suddenly found herself seated on a comfortable sofa in what appeared to be the living room of the house. It was spacious, and full of various comforts that any normal person would relish. Looking up she spied a large glass pane door that led to a well looked after garden. Barriss couldn't imagine for a second that Ahsoka was responsible for its maintenance. The girl hadn't exactly had a greenthumb when she was younger.
Movement out of the corner of her eye shifted Barriss attention. Sitting down in a separate equally looking comfy chair across from her was the dark skinned woman who had greeted them at the door. Barriss seemed to recall her name being Kaeden. The question was who was she?
"So… you knew Ahsoka then?" The woman, Kaeden asked, her voice tentative. In her hand she held two cups of what appeared to be caf, one of which she passed over to Barriss, the Mirialan accepting it in the process.
The liquid was relatively strong, not what Barriss preferred, but it would do. "I did, when we were younger. I was a Jedi back then alongside her."
Kaeden's eyebrow raised slightly at the mention of 'was a Jedi', her interest clearly gained.
Or her concern, Barriss was unsure which it was.
"Aside from Ahsoka all the former Jedi I've ever met or heard of were either Sith Lords or Inquisitors. What are you exactly?" Kaeden questioned further, taking a gentle sip of her caf in the process. The line of questioning was not entirely unexpected, but Barriss had expected it to come from Ahsoka herself, not this mysterious woman.
"I'm not anything anymore. I won't ever hold the right to the title of Jedi again, and the Sith certainly never desired my services. I am but a healer looking to right the wrongs I did in the past." Barriss answered, struggling to keep her voice steady. Images of the trial, of Ahsoka's trial came to her mind, and how she had been so willing to leave her friend to be torn apart by the political machinations of Palpatine and Tarkin.
Kaeden seemed to mull over Barriss' statement for a bit, the inquisitive look in her eye never leaving, even as she again sipped on her caf.
The silence that echoed around them was broken seconds later by Kaeden.
"I've rarely seen Ahsoka that angry before. Scared? Sure. Happy? Definitely. Determined? You bet! But never have I ever seen what I would call pure animalistic rage from her. Now I may not be an expert in deducing such things, but I've known Ahsoka long enough to know that there is only one thing that would cause her to display such emotion. Betrayal!"
Barriss felt her entire spirit sink as she listened to this woman's words. It was evident that they were close, how close Barriss was unsure, but close enough to share personal things. And right now all Kaeden was doing was pointing out everything that Barriss had ever thought herself. She had betrayed Ahsoka, and she had no right to be here to ask for her forgiveness.
Across from her Kaeden continued to speak. "Now as it stands I only know of two people who have ever betrayed Ahsoka in a manner worse enough to instill that sought of response. One is dead by her hand, so you must be the other one, the one who bombed the Jedi temple and framed her for terrorism!"
Barriss barely recognized Kaeden's revelation at her identity. Truth be told she had stopped listened when she had heard that someone else had betrayed Ahsoka in a manner similar to her. Whoever it was should be glad they were dead, or Barriss would have paid them a visit herself!
"Who was it, the other one? I need to know." Barriss couldn't help up ask. She had to know.
"Why should I tell you?" Kaeden replied in a steady voice. It wasn't harsh or hostile, but calm, as if willing to listen.
"Not a day has gone by that I don't think about what I did to Ahsoka. I'll live with that memory for years. All I want to do is help people, like she does. And yes, I hurt her, badly, but I still care about her and would protect her with my dying breath!" Barriss replied, raising her voice slightly as she spoke, surprising herself at the force of the comment.
Kaeden seemed to understand, a small smile coming to her face. Barriss hoped that meant she approved.
"I get that. Being responsible for the feeding and well being of Ahsoka Tano is no easy feat. And despite your past grievances, you seem genuinely distraught. As for who the other one who betrayed her is, that's for her to tell you, not me."
Barriss couldn't help but chuckle at Kaeden's statement about Ahsoka. It seemed that age hadn't tempered her excitable side much.
"That is assuming she wants to talk to me at all?" Barriss replied, trying not to sound too disappointed. It wasn't her choice at the end of the day. It was Ahsoka's and she would respect it regardless.
"I'm sure she will in time. Ahsoka may be a bit too impulsive at times, but she always comes around. I've lost count of how many petty squabbles we've had." Kaeden replied, sipping her caf again with a smile on her face, as if she was lost in a memory. "We always make up in the end, in one way or another."
Barriss nodded, her interest on who this woman was to Ahsoka piqued even further. Clearly they were very close judging by the way Kaeden spoke about her.
"You seem very close to Ahsoka. I'm glad she's got a good friend like you." Barriss commented, trying to get on the woman's good side, drinking another sip of her own cadf in the process.
Across from her Kaeden's smile got wider, an almost mischievous look appearing in her eyes.
"Oh Ahsoka's more than my friend. She's my girlfriend, and thus her care is kinda my business more than most."
Barriss couldn't help her eyes bulging in their sockets at the mention of the bond between Ahsoka and Kaeden.
Kaeden meanwhile only laughed at Barriss' expression.
What Ezra assumed was the bedroom door was locked, with no way of opening it.
That of course wasn't entirely true. He could easily open the door with the force and walk into the room. Nothing was stopping him, much less a single door.
He wouldn't however. The last thing he wanted to do was forcefully disturb his friends privacy. Ahsoka was clearly very upset, or angry, or something.
But that didn't mean he wasn't going to talk to her.
Leaning closer to the door, Ezra lifted a single hand ready to knock on the door when sound from the other side halted him. Through the door he could hear what he would of called as a gentle bird call, followed by Ahsoka's soft voice speaking. Leaning his head against the door, Ezra began to listen in.
"Morai I don't want to see her. She betrayed me."
'Hoot?'
"She left me for dead Morai! She's no friend of mine."
'Hoot hoot?'
"Why should I? She never bothered to come to talk to me about her problems back then. Instead she blew up the kriffing temple!"
'Hoot.'
"But she could always talk to me Morai, she knew that!"
'Hoot! Hoot hoot!'
"Hey! Watch your language!"
'HOOT!'
The dialogue on the other side of the door was impossible to unravel. Even Thrawn would struggle to make anything from it. And it was clear that it was going nowhere fast. Seizing his opportunity in the brief period of silence, Ezra knocked on the door gently.
"Ahsoka? It's Ezra. can I come in please?"
There was no response for a few moments, for which Ezra took as a no. Turning on his heel and preparing to head back downstairs, Ezra's attention was drawn back to the bedroom door when it creaked open slightly. Ezra guessed that meant he was allowed entry.
Stepping into what he assumed was Ahsoka's bedroom, Ezra began to take the room in. The bed looked incredibly comfortable, a shot of jealousy shooting through him as he thought back to his simple bunk back on the Ghost. The room was painted with various shades of light green, and odd colour to be sure, but a welcome one at that.
And there, perched on the end of the bed, Convor resting on one arm was Ahsoka. She didn't look like she had been crying or anything, but she was clearly distraught.
"Hey Ezra, sorry about that down there. You shouldn't have had to see that sort of reaction from me." Ahsoka spoke, her voice as warm and welcoming as it had always been. There was no sign of the darkness that had been there earlier, not that Ezra expected there to be any. Despite her struggles, Ezra knew that Ahsoka was inherently a force of good.
"Don't worry about it Ahsoka. How are you doing?" Ezra replied, coming to sit next to Ahsoka on the end of the bed. As he did so, the convor, Morai, made several happy sounds, before jumping off of Ahsoka's arm and coming to rest in Ezra's lap, nuzzling him in the process. Ezra wasn't sure why Ahsoka's pet bird liked him so much, but he didn't mind. After all, he was good with animals.
In response to his question, Ahsoka simply shrugged. Her face shifted between unsure, to worry, to what he thought was guilt. Why would she have any reason to feel guilty?
Taking her silence as a sign that he could speak, Ezra began to chose his words carefully.
"I know I should have told you about her, but she asked that I didn't, not until she was ready to talk to you. I don't fully understand what happened between the two of you, but I get the feeling that she really regrets what she did to you and wants to at very least just talk to you again. You don't have to be friends, just talk at least once."
Ahsoka seemed to contemplate Ezra's words for a few moments, and from the way Morai was fidgeting in his lap and hooting he assumed that meant the convor agreed with him.
"Where did you even find her?" Ahsoka inquired, hand coming up to gently rub her shoulders. She was clearly apprehensive about everything that was going on.
"Crash landed on Mirial. Got hurt pretty bad. She healed me up with the force. She's been living there since the fall of the republic, helping people, healing them. The villagers I spoke to saw her as some sort of spiritual healer. But from what she told me it's almost as if she is searching for some kind of redemption, whilst not believing she deserves it in the first place." Ezra replied, recalling his adventure. He wasn't going to lie to Ahsoka. She deserved the truth, no matter what her decision would be regarding it.
"Barriss always was a gifted healer, and being a war general never really suited her." Ahsoka seemed to speak gently, almost wistfully, as if remembering a long forgotten past. The likelihood was that she was.
Ezra noted the use of a different name from the one Salvia had told him. No doubt it was an alternate name, much like Kanan was not Kanan's real name.
"Look Ahsoka, I know she hurt you badly. In your place I would more than likely be apologetically angry. But you're not me, and this isn't you, sulking in a bedroom because you don't want to talk to someone." Ezra continued, trying to hopefully get her to understand. He didn't like seeing Ahsoka, who he personally viewed as an immovable object, this unbalanced. It unnerved him.
"I just… I wouldn't even know where to begin Ezra. What do I say to someone who betrayed me and left me for dead over twenty years ago?" Ahsoka replied, her voice quickening in what appeared to be stress at the situation. She had begun rubbing her arms faster now, a telltale sign of an impending breakdown.
It was an odd question, especially aimed at someone like him. Usually she was the one giving advice to him, not the other way around. Suffice to say Ezra didn't like it, but he would help how he could.
"Let me ask you this then Ahsoka: If Anakin Skywalker appeared right now in this very room, what would you say to him?"
Ezra knew that Ahsoka's master was a sore subject at the best of times, but he hoped that either she wouldn't mind, or that it would have the intended effect.
"I'd punch him in his smug looking face!" Ahsoka's answer was fast and blunt, causing both of them to chuckle at the image. The statement wasn't said with any anger or hatred, but what appeared to be fondness.
"And then?" Ezra asked.
Ahsoka was silent for a moment, staring off into space as if reliving another memory.
"And then he's say 'Is that the best you've got Snips, let me show you how a true Jedi fights!'" Ahsoka continued, her voice dropping a few octaves as she impersonated her former master, earning another chuckle from Ezra.
"And from there," Ahsoka continued before Ezra could, " I'd tell him that I'm sorry that I left him, and that his teachings mean the universe to me, and that I wish I could have him back by my side, just for a day."
As she spoke, her tone grew more and more upset. She still didn't cry, but Ezra didn't miss the way her shoulders drooped in despair. Neither did Morai, who upon noticing her upset owner, jumped up from Ezra's lap and darted into Ahsoka's, the Togruta bringing a hand onto the Convor's head to stroke it in return.
Ezra contemplated Ahsoka's words. It was clear that she missed her master, even after everything he had done as Vader. She would never be able to get him back, to rekindle that relationship they once had.
But that didn't mean she couldn't do the same with Barriss.
"Anakin may be gone Ahsoka, but Barriss isn't. She's downstairs waiting to talk to you. Despite his past you miss Anakin don't you? Well what about Barriss? Do you miss her as well?"
Ahsoka replied to Ezra's question with a simple nod of her head.
"Well then, now's your chance to rekindle that friendship. Your a different person now Ahsoka, as is Barriss. If you can't go back to where you once were, then start afresh." Ezra finished up, hoping he was having some sort of comforting effect on the Togruta.
"Besides, she did pretty much save the life of your favourite blue haired padawan!" Ezra quipped on the end of his speech, adding much needed humor to the situation, one that Ahsoka laughed at in response.
The Togruta was silent for a few moments, before she took a deep breath and turned her head to face Ezra, a gentle smile on her face.
"When did you become so wise Ezra Bridger?"
Ezra merely shrugged in response, a smirk on his face.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you and Ahsoka were…" Barriss tried to formulate the words. Despite no longer being a Jedi, Barriss had never found anyone herself. She had adhered to her solidarity in life, choosing to remain alone. It was easier for her that way, no one to tie her down or be disappointed in her, aside from herself of course.
Clearly Ahsoka was different, not that Barriss should have been too surprised, given the rumors that had circulated about Ahsoka's master back in the day.
"In a relationship, that fine. We're not exactly outgoing about it. We prefer our privacy, what with Ahsoka's Jedi hangups and everything." Kaeden replied, her voice happy and bouncy, as if she couldn't believe what she was saying herself.
It was then that Barriss felt something shift in the force. She rarely connected to it deeply these days, aside from when she was healing someone. That being said she was always connected to it on some level subconsciously, and so could feel the slight shift in it when Ahsoka Tano entered the room.
Barriss could see that Ahsoka was still uncomfortable in her presence, not that she blamed her. She had wronged her in the worst possible way. Whoever this other person that had betrayed her was most likely had nothing on her betrayal.
Barriss watched as Ahsoka moved over to sit on the arm of the chair Kaeden was resting on, shooting a grateful smile to the dark skinned woman in the process.
"Yeah well at least I didn't get captured three separate times to get me to come rescue you Kaeden." Ahsoka quipped, clearly enjoying the slight look of mortification that crossed Kaeden's face in the process.
It was then that Ahsoka shifted to face Barriss, a reluctant smile coming to her face. Her eyes were solid blue, Barriss noted, and she felt entrenched in the lightside of the force. Whatever the earlier descent into darkness had been was not usual, Barriss could tell, but merely an accident.
Neither spoke for a few seconds, both simply just taking in the visage of their former friend, waiting to see who would speak first. Mercifully, Kaeden also kept quite.
And then Ahsoka spoke.
"Hello again Barriss, we have a lot to talk about don't we."
'Yes.' Barriss thought. 'Yes we most certainly do.'
Author's thoughts
So, I decided to write another one shot rather than a new chapter of my new story instead. Hope you don't mind. :)
Barris is a very interesting character, and I know a lot of people expected her to go darkside after season five of the clone wars and become an Inquisitor or something, but I personally don't see it. With this reunion I wanted to show that Barriss, unlike a certain Skywalker, regrets what she did to Ahsoka, and while doesn't seek forgiveness, just wants to know that her old friend is alive and well.
Still, I don't know if Ahsoka will ever truly forgive Barriss in either canon or this AU, as she certainly doesn't Anakin, despite her fondness of him. Still, I'll leave it up to your imagination as to what happens next.
I did also think about writing this one shot with a bit of a Barrissoka twist to it, as I know some people ship it, but I didn't want to go and do a 'Barriss is jealous of Kaeden' thing and start a shipping war (those are stupid by the way)
Anyway, hope you enjoyed the one shot. Not sure when the next one will be, or what it will be about but it will come. Might do 'Binks and the Bro' next. Doubt you need many guesses as to who that one stars.
As normal, comment and speculate at will. Speaking of which:
Travis Middleton: I wouldn't say I'm back, what with my focus on my new story and all, but I'm glad you liked it regardless. I personally like the idea of the Sith afterlife being simple hell for them. I'm sure Vader is experiencing something similar as well as Dooku.
I have not seen Solo no, but that certain cameo has been spoiled for me. Oh well. I heard it was good anyway. :)
Mysterious Guest one: Ahsoka x Ezra... yeah I don't ship it personally and have no intention of writing a story for it... but it could work under the right AU circumstances I suppose.
Mysterious Guest two:I dunno, I wouldn't want to end up there as a holiday destination. Still, Palpy got what he deserved.
As for Vader, since he died in the darkside as Vader and not Anakin, he went to the Sith afterlife in this AU. No doubt he's being killed over and over by either the younglings he slaughtered or Windu.
Maliwan: I'm glad you liked the idea, even if it was a bit dark and morbid. Hopefully this one is just as good.
Cranky Paws: Don't feel too bad for Sidious, cause he wouldn't for you if the situation was reserved. Glad you enjoyed it. Hopefully this Barriss one was well received by you as well.
WolveHulk: A fitting fate indeed, but then what did he expect? Guess that's the problem with the Sith huh? Ends badly for you, even after death.
FossilQueen1984: Glad you liked it. That is exactly what happens when you discard everyone who was loyal to you. They pay you back in ways you don't expect.
jojobinks01: He will die indeed... Muhahahaaha!
Darth Cody: Glad you liked the vibe from it. I personally haven't seen that movie, so any similarities were unintended. :)