"Sorry I'm late, Master! I got held up!"

Qui-Gon looked up from his work when he heard his apprentice enter their apartment. Checking the chrono, he confirmed that his apprentice was indeed late for curfew, by about ten minutes. Rolling his eyes, Qui-Gon smiled and walked into the main room.

"It's alright Obi-Wan, you're just a few minutes late. Howev-" Qui-Gon stopped short as he observed the sight before him.

Obi-Wan was moving around the living room, putting away his things, and leaving a trail of thick black dirt wherever he went. The boy himself was covered in the stuff, streaks of it staining his face and tunic, clumps of it in his hair. It looked like he had been buried alive. Noticing his Master's expression and silence, the padawan stopped in his tracks.

"Is something wrong, Master?" Qui-Gon shook his head, returning to the moment. "Well, Padawan, I don't mind that you were a little late, but I do want to know where you have been. And how did you get so dirty?"

Obi-Wan flushed, as if noticing the mess for the first time. "Oh, I'm so sorry Master. I didn't realize it was that bad. I'll clean it up as soon as possible, I promise."

"I'm sure you will, Obi-Wan, but you did not answer my question. Where have you been?"

Obi-Wan hung his head at his elder's stern tone. "Sorry Master. I was playing with the Initiates in the gardens and I lost track of time."

Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow. "Initiates? How old?"

"Three. I was helping Master Amico most of the afternoon. I'm sorry about the mess."

Qui-Gon smiled. "The mess, Obi-Wan, can be cleaned up. But I believe there is another matter to discuss first."

Obi-Wan looked up at his Master, anxiously waiting for what would come next.

"I believe a certain apprentice is in need of a bath."

"Anakin, where are you? We're due at the banquet in ten minutes. We are not going to be late again. Anakin!"

Obi-Wan Kenobi dashed through the apartment, searching high and low for his apprentice. 'It'll be fine, Master.' he said. 'I can be responsible.' He said. 'I'll be ready in time.' I can't believe I fell for that again.

At that moment, a very ragged looking Anakin Skywalker emerged from his room, a wrench in one hand. "What's going on? Why's everybody yelling?"

Obi-Wan took one look at his apprentice and could feel his blood pressure rising a few notches. Anakin's tunics were torn and rumpled, his hair and braid as fuzzy as a womp rat, and his face was covered in grease.

"We have the banquet! The Senate banquet! The one I told you we were going to! The one you swore you'd be ready for! Ugh, come on!"

Obi-Wan wasted no time in dragging his protesting padawan to the fresher, wetting a cloth and beginning to scrub furiously. "I told you to be ready on time. If we are late, I'm taking away your workbench for a week."

Anakin grumbled through the harsh cleaning, trying to retwist his braid with one hand. Once Obi-Wan had scraped off the grease, he pushed the teen towards his room.

"Dress tunic and robe. Now. The transport is leaving shortly, and we're not going to be late. Not again. The Senate is depending on us for security."

Anakin stopped in the doorway, much to the frustration of his Master. "Wait, Senate banquet. So...Senator Amidala could be there. From Naboo?"

Obi-Wan sighed, but did not get a chance to reply. Anakin had already ran into his room, and slammed the door, racing to change clothes.

Whatever gets him moving, I suppose. As long as we're not late.

Ahsoka, Rex, do you copy? We're moving out, the transport's waiting. Get back here!

"Acknowledged General! We're on our way!"

Anakin paced back and forth anxiously, waiting for his padawan and her squad to return. In the distance, two figures were approaching fast, and Anakin's heart sank as he realized that the rest of the squad had not made it.

Captain Rex and Ahsoka dashed toward him and boarded the transport. With a call to the pilot, the transport took off, heading back to the cruiser, and Anakin turned his attention to his padawan.

Ahsoka looked awful. Her normally bright blue eyes were dull, unfocused. What shocked him most were her arms. Ahsoka's arms were coated in blood, human blood, from her fingertips up to her elbows. The blood was fresh, shining scarlet, and dripping onto the floor.

"Snips, what happened?"

Ahsoka shook slightly, in both body and voice, as she answered.

"Corkscrew got hit. Tried to save him. Tried to heal with the Force but I wasn't...wasn't...I wasn't quick enough."

Her voice was hoarse and broken. Anakin shook his head and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, ushering her to the back of the transport. He grabbed a washcloth from the fresher, and soaked it in water.

Taking her arm in a gentle grip, he ran the cloth down her arm, staining it red. She blinked, coming back to herself, and looked up at her Master, curiously.

"Master? You don't have to-"

Anakin shook his head, scrubbing her arm gently. "Don't have to, Snips. Want to. Let's get you cleaned up, and then let's go home." Ahsoka leaned into his touch, allowing the tears to flow down her cheeks.

"Thanks Master."

Anakin wrung the cloth out, pausing to drop a soft kiss on her forehead.

"It's alright Ahsoka. Don't mention it."

Author's Note: Thanks so much for your reviews! I hope you like this latest chapter. I'm leaving for vacation on Friday, and I'll be gone for a few days, but I'll be sure to update once I get back home. Do you have anything you want to see? Something based on fan art or something completely AU? Let me know! Have a great day!