It was late morning when the Republic ship Ahsoka had been resting in, which had been delayed on military detour, finally reached Coruscant. Upon hearing the buzzer that announced the hour, Ahsoka sat up quickly, realizing she had slept longer than she should have. The soreness she felt upon rising surprised her, and she suddenly remembered everything that had happened the day before. She flinched as she replayed the memory in her mind, finally feeling the embarrassment of it all.

She sighed to herself regretfully as she gingerly stepped out of the bed. The whipping had left a lasting impact upon her flesh, and she was trying to be as gentle as possible with herself, so as not to be reminded of why the tender feeling in her backside resided there. She wondered how long the ache would last, a bit angered at the fact she wouldn't be able to forget it had even happened.

Ahsoka was confused by the emotions she had felt both about herself as well as her master in light of the experience. She had imagined it to be horrible, and it was, but not in the way she had expected. In her own mind, she had only thought of surface injury, mostly to her outward pride, but it was shocking to her how much injury she felt on the inside.

For the first time since she had met her master, she felt a sense of insecurity and fear of the part of him that judged her. Receiving that kind of punishment from her master displayed how terrible her actions must have been to earn it, and she truly regretted everything from the very first act of defiance to the last. Allowing herself so much regret was new to her, and it attacked the stubborn part of herself that was angry about how the events had played out and defensive of some of her decisions.

Obstinacy was part of her true nature, she knew, and that had been abused by the punishment it had succumbed to. A flame of that nature still burned, and she was, in some part of herself, angry at her master for how far he had taken his disappointment. However, everything surrounding the flame only wished for his trust, his love, and his acceptance. It was what she had always wanted in the beginning, and it was what she wanted now. After everything that had unfolded, she still couldn't be sure he had given that to her, and the instability hurt her more than anything else.

Ahsoka was interrupted in her musing by her the beeping of her comlink. She hesitated slightly when her master called for her through the device. "Master?" she spoke after a moment.

"Ahsoka, you know we've got that mission report to give the to the council today. I'll need you to be ready and meet me outside the chambers in an hour or so." Anakin's tone was grave, and Ahsoka knew he was just as nervous as she was.

She gulped before responding. "I'll be there soon, Master," she said, "But I can't promise to be ready."

"Just try your best, young one. These aren't fun for anyone. I'll see you soon."

Ahsoka, feeling a moment of weakness, wished she could find some way out of giving report to the council. She knew there was nothing that could excuse her, and she shuddered at the thought of having to confess her foolishness to such a stoic group of people. She found them far more terrifying than her master could ever be, and that would never change in her mind. In spite of that fact, she did not indulge her temptation to stall, and for her master's sake she refused to be late.

She made it to the chambers on time and found her master looking particularly anxious as he paced outside of the doors. He smiled when he saw her, but Ahsoka, though glad to receive it, found herself too nervous to return it. She did accept his attempt at encouragement and approached him with some new confidence.

Anakin eyes carefully scanned his padawan. "How are you feeling today, Snips?" he asked her quietly and almost warily, obviously referring to the day before.

Ahsoka decided to confront the uncomfortable subject right off the bat, hoping to get it out of the way. She was still hurt at the remembrance of it, and she didn't want to dwell on it if she could help it. "That spanking really hurt, master. In fact, it still sort of does."

Anakin wasn't sure whether to smile or frown at her revelation. "Kind of the point, little one," he said. "I'm sorry it has to be so painful. You'd do well to remember it though. Please don't ever make me do that again." Anakin meant the latter plea with much more sincerity than he thought it possible to convey.

The flame inside Ahsoka grew hotter at the thought of undergoing such a punishment again. "Trust me, I don't plan to," she replied. The statement was not delivered in her usual tone, and verbally revealed a certain amount of inner pain relating to the experience. While Anakin might have expected it, he bled with sympathy for her.

"A word of comfort..." he said gently. "It never lasts more than a couple days."

"That's supposed to be comforting?" she asked with marked sarcasm. It was not of her usual brand but carried the tone of one who was bitter. The statement did nothing to subdue Anakin's bleeding, and he tried to recover…

"Watch your mouth, Snips. We wouldn't want to make it any longer, would we?" Anakin's threat was unmistakably playful, but Ahsoka was thoroughly horrified by the use of it and turned sharply away from her master so that he might not see her pained expression. Anakin easily picked up on the disturbance, and he felt it very deeply in his own chest, splitting his already widening wound into a gash that reached straight to his heart.

Anakin grasped Ahsoka's shoulder and gently turned her back around to face him. She did not resist and was made more pliable by the look of pain that resided in her master's eyes. "Do we have something to talk about?" he asked her with genuine concern.

"Does it matter what I think?" Ahsoka returned tartly, unable to keep her spiraling emotions under control.

"Of course it matters what you think, Snips. You already know that. You're allowed to tell me when I've hurt you, and you know that I will listen. You aren't normally so hesitant. I want you to communicate with me, but it's more productive when you're not yelling."

Ahsoka sighed and Anakin simply waited. "Well," Ahsoka began, "I think that… That I… I guess I don't know… I don't really want to talk about it." Ahsoka was frustrated and full of feelings that she didn't understand. Her master had appeared to forgive her, and he seemed more than ready to put everything behind them and move on. She should have have pleased, comforted even… Instead she felt angry, confused, and hurt… But at the same time she couldn't be sure of any of those feelings. She had taken everything in stride yesterday, but she had not known what she would feel in the aftermath.

"Ahsoka," Anakin said sternly, "I'm not going to put up with that and you know it. If you have something to tell me then spit it out." His tone and manner appeared harsh towards his young padawan, but inside he was desperate to gather her thoughts and feelings. It killed him when she kept them heavily guarded. Little did he know that in this instance they weren't being guarded, only hidden from Ahsoka herself, who could not directly discern what they were.

Ahsoka remained unaffected by her master's tone as it was his usual response to her conversation barriers. "Master," she said seriously, "I'm really not sure what to tell you. I don't even know what to tell myself. I just need time think more before we can really talk."

Anakin sighed and rested his hand on her shoulder. "Whenever you're ready, Snips."

Ahsoka peered up at him sheepishly, suddenly remembering that they were standing outside the council chambers preparing for a mission report. "Will we… have to tell them what happened?" she whispered. Anakin understood her immediately and identified with her sense of embarrassment regarding her punishment, even though he felt it silly now.

"No, Snips," he assured her. "Not if you don't want to. They won't care, and they would probably go easier on you knowing that you have already been disciplined, but if you want to keep it between us then I understand. I won't stop you."

"Thank you for understanding, Master. I don't think I want anyone to know about that ever."

Anakin rolled his eyes at her and sighed once more, annoyed that she had invited yet another moment of instruction that he did not wish to give. "Ahsoka, you don't have to be ashamed of receiving discipline. That's not the part to be ashamed about. There isn't a single person here who wouldn't understand or that would hold it against you. You are still learning, and that is how. Don't think less of yourself because it happened… Just learn from what it taught you."

Ahsoka nodded and dropped her gaze, not wishing to debate it any further. Her rattled nerves over the coming council meeting troubled her more than anything else, and her master shared the same level of internal tension and disturbance. Soon enough, the great doors opened, and they both were invited in. Anakin gave Ahsoka's hand one final grip, sending her feelings of comfort and protection before they took their stance in front of the stern and wizened council and prepared to explain themselves.

As usual, Anakin began with a quick summary of the mission, briefly going over the logistical gains and losses and answering any questions on the specifics as they arose. After the core details had been discussed, there was a moment of silence, and Anakin looked at Ahsoka expectantly. Ahsoka knew that it was her turn to speak, and she stepped forward slightly with as much as bravery as she could muster. Of all the things she'd seen and been through alongside Anakin, nothing scared her more then the faces in that room. They stared at her without emotion, patiently waiting for her to find her voice.

"Masters," she began, "I have something to confess regarding the mission." She paused, waiting for a their acknowledgement before proceeding.

"Go on, padawan. You needn't be afraid," Obi-Wan encouraged kindly.

"My role in the mission was to block and redirect the ship's communication sensors so that our troops could get to the droid unsuspected. My assigned station was a single, inconspicuous compartment, and I was to remain their until summoned. At one point, I left the compartment without permission. Actually, I sort of… went against direct orders."

"Sort of went against direct orders?" Windu asked. "Did your master tell you that you were to remain in the compartment until summoned?"

"Anakin, what do you have to say about this?" Obi-Wan asked his former padawan.

This was the part Anakin had been dreading. He hated to speak against Ahsoka after he had already put her through punishment and wanted nothing more than to let the matter go. He knew that it was too late to cover for her, and the last thing he wanted to do was invite the council's judgment. It would be impossible for him to deliver anything but the truth… Or at least something very closely related to the truth.

"Well, everything Ahsoka says is true. Her job was to remain in the compartment to handle the communications with the troops. Except that I didn't exactly specify when she was supposed to leave the compartment. She may have thought it was alright, at the time, because her work with the communications appeared to be complete."

Anakin had always been good at bending the truth, and nothing he said was an outright lie, though it was certainly deceitful. How indeed could he have summoned her when she was already gone?

"Did you discuss this with Ahsoka after the mission?" Windu asked, staring at Anakin with a hint of criticism.

"Yes, Master… We talked briefly."

'We talked briefly?!' Ahsoka repeated in her mind while resisting the urge to roll her eyes. She wasn't exactly sure where her master was going with all this, but the feelings she sensed in the room were anything but positive.

"So then you don't find this is concerning at all? What instructions did you give her?" Windu continued.

"She was given very clear instructions, which she successfully executed, up the point where the troops were in position. I can't say that I was perfectly clear on the fact that she was to stay for back up."

'After all,' Anakin thought, 'no one can be perfect about anything... Except maybe for you, Mace Windu. Perfectly critical.'

Obi-Wan scanned Anakin's face and sensed something was amiss with his old padawan. He thought Anakin was behaving a little too coolly about something that had endangered many troops as well as Ahasoka, for whom he cared deeply. While Ahsoka appeared as he might have expected a padawan to appear in her position, she did seem a bit too anxious at her master's words, especially considering they were in her defense.

"Ahsoka," Obi-Wan asked gently, "why exactly did you leave the compartment? Did you think you were finished with your part of the mission?"

Ahsoka didn't know how to respond to this question. She couldn't lie to Master Kenobi. Not only was it wrong, but he would know she was lying. She hung her head shamefully and communicated the truth.

"No, Master Kenobi," she whispered. "I knew full well that I was supposed to stay in the compartment for communication back up for the troops. I left because I saw the opportunity to rescue the droid, and I wanted to do it myself rather than tell someone else to. My master was clear in his instructions… I simply didn't follow them."

"Your sense of responsibility is admirable, Padawan Tanno." Windu said, eyeing Anakin suspiciously. "Still, disobeying orders is dangerous for yourself, everyone else around you, and the ultimate success of the mission. This is not an offence that can go without consequences."

"I understand, Master Windu, and I truly am sorry for the risk I took," Ahsoka said softly, unable to look at the council members in her weakness.

"We can all sense your contrition, Padawan Tanno, and it does you credit," Master Fitsu said. "I feel your consequences should be something that forces reflection on your part and instills a sense of responsibility for those around you. Members, are we all in agreement regarding Padawan Tanno's character, and does anyone have a suggestion for an appropriate consequence?"

The council members nodded thoughtfully, and after a moment of silence, Master Windu spoke first. "Skywalker, what consequence do you suggest for your charge?"

Anakin cleared his throat nervously and glanced quickly at Ahsoka before he spoke. "Masters," he began respectfully, "I think the first and most important responsibility Ahsoka has is to the troops she risked. As protocol and ethics demand, she should publicly apologize to them. As far as reflection and responsibility, I am aware that Senator Amidala is doing some charity work with children in the inner city here. I believe she is in need of an assistant, and I cannot think of a better way to teach responsibility than to work with children. I am sure that Ahsoka will be well supervised with the Senator also."

Windu nodded slowly as he considered Anakin's suggestion. "Senator Amidala did request the assistance of a padawan," he acknowledged thoughtfully. "Perhaps we can accomplish two goals."

"I agree," Obi-Wan replied. "I am sure both Ahsoka and the Senator will benefit from the arrangement."

"Very well then," Fitsu said. "I believe we are settled. Skywalker, as you are aware of the Senator's need, you will make the arrangements with her, and we will move on from this grievance. I will caution you both only in this... You must learn to communicate better with one another. Skywalker, it is your responsibility to work through this with your padawan."

"Yes, Master Fitsu, we are already working on it."

"Keep at it, Skywalker," Windu said. "Now I believe that concludes our business. You are both dismissed, and this meeting is adjourned."

The council members nodded in unison, and Anakin and Ahsoka bowed and took their leave. As soon as they left the council chamber, Ahsoka was ready to pounce on her master for the direction he taken the meeting, but she did not get the chance because Obi-Wan had followed them out and demanded Anakin's attention.

"Anakin, I need to speak with you," he said firmly, halting him in the hallway.

By the look on his old master's face, Anakin had a small sense that he was going to be lectured, and he hurriedly dismissed Ahsoka in response.

"Yes, Master?" Anakin said calmly once his padwan had left. He had expected that Obi-Wan would have known better about what actually happened, for he had long ago learned how to interpret Anakin's version of the truth.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan began, looking his old padawan in the eyes with a friendly concern, "it isn't wrong to care about Ahsoka... To want to protect her from scrutiny... But she does have to learn from her mistakes. Standing up for her is one thing, but taking the fall for her is another. It only hurts her in the end."

Anakin sighed. It was exactly what he had expected Obi-Wan to say. "Master, I promise you, I have it under control."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "This isn't about having it under control, Anakin. I'm not speaking as the voice of the council. I am speaking as your friend… One who has been in your current position many, many times, I'll not hesitate to add."

Anakin blushed in spite of himself at this remark, quickly reminded of his younger days. "I've been meaning to apologize to you, Master, for all the trouble I must have caused. Ahsoka has given me reason to reflect..."

Obi-Wan chuckled and gripped Anakin's arm reassuringly. "You are both new at this. Be patient with each other, and remember... Just as it is Ahsoka's responsibility to obey and to learn, it is yours to guide her and correct her, if need be. I know how much you value her friendship, but be careful, Anakin."

"I understand, Master. Thank you," Anakin acknowledged, still uneasy about it all. He knew Obi-Wan was right. He'd had difficulty in every role he'd ever been in, and being Ahsoka's master was no exception. In many ways he felt a pride in the knowledge that he was going against established constructs, but at moments like these, the idea of constantly doing something wrong nearly made him dizzy. He tell himself all he wanted to that he didn't care what the council thought, but he knew they controlled his future, and he couldn't help wondering if he would ever be considered their equal.

Author's Note:

I just wanted to say for general information purposes that I am a female in my early 20s, and I started writing this story when I was 19, I think. Yes, I have an interest in discipline, and no I don't know or care what that means.

That aside, I fully admit a lot of this is purely my wild imagine, but I wouldn't write it if I didn't believe it had some level of legitimacy. I genuinely believe that while Anakin doesn't care about rules, he does care about control and has some serious anger issues. I truthfully believe that Anakin would have genuine resentment for Ahsoka for risking herself and stepping outside of what he can control. He is attached enough to her that tries to protect her to the point of sacrificing her learning experiences. Causing him to fear losing her would undoubtedly anger him, and, in my mind, would be the only thing that would ever cause him to punish her.

I'm not saying this is at all how it would happen (that's where the wild imagination rages), but I think the sentiment is there.

I just wanted to get that out. Thanks all, and may the force be with you.