Amara huddled in the corner of her damp cell, gentle tears falling down her cheeks. She had promised herself she wouldn't let them break her, let them scar her spirit – but she had utterly failed.

The cell doors slowly creaked open, and she straightened, heart racing. The last time she had been visited, she had had hot irons placed all along her back. She didn't think she could stand another torture session at the hands of these animals…

But through the door came Anakin Skywalker.

He was unconscious, and flung towards her like a piece of trash. Amara tensed, and as soon as the guards left, she was on her feet and running to him, kneeling by his side, tears streaming down her face.

"Anakin! Anakin, wake up!" She was sobbing uncontrollably while shaking him. His body looked as battered as her own, maybe worse. The fact that he had suffered everything she had seemed to tear away the rest of her meager strength. "Anakin, answer me!"

Still no answer. Just cold, stone silence. Giving up, Amara slunk back to the ground and began sobbing onto the stone ground. 'What am I going to do? Oh Force, what am I going to do?!' She looked up at the cement ceiling and begged the unseen energy for answers. "What am I going to do?!"

"What?!" Obi-Wan Kenobi's face went pale after Lux finished his speech.

"Commander Hex Martial of the OUSO. He…He's the leader of Death's Shadow," Lux repeated, out of breath from struggling to explain everything so quickly. His heart felt as if it would burst out of his chest. 'How could he? I trusted him…'

"Are you sure?" Jedi Master Mace Windu asked, eyes narrowed. "If you're wrong, accusing the Commander may start a war. We need Orderon on the Republic's side."

"I-I'm sure. I know it…."

Just before Lux could continue, the doors to the Council Chamber's swung open, and the tall form of Plo Koon walked in.

"Master Plo, you're late," Mace stated. "Lux Bonteri has just revealed some urgent news…"

"I'm afraid I have terrible news as well," Plo interrupted, shaking his head. "I've lost all contact with Master Skywalker and Barriss."

"Wait, what?" In seconds, Obi-Wan was out of his chair and approaching Plo. "What happened to Anakin? And what do you mean, and Barriss?"

The whole Council had confused expressions as Plo explained. "I sent Skywalker to find Amara, and I told him to take Barriss Offee with him. But now…now I cannot contact him."

Lux felt anger surge through his heart. "Offee?! Why her? She…she…" He didn't know what to say, what to do. He couldn't give Ahsoka's identity away, but things were spiraling way out of control.

The main question pressed against his mind as shouts from the Council and Jedi echoed through the Temple: would his silence cost Ahsoka her life?

The first thing he felt as he began to regain consciousness was pain. It erupted through his body, every nerve on fire. He moaned softly, and then forced his eyes open. The last thing he remembered was him screaming as the guards dragged him underwater, while Barriss and her father watched on.

He was met with the sight of a cement ceiling, dripping slime. And then he heard the sound of violent weeping, and turned his head to see Amara, curled up in a corner, crying.

No, not Amara. Ahsoka.

Ignoring the fiery pain in his muscles, which protested at his every movement, Anakin stumbled to his feet, and managed to walk over to her before collapsing again.

Amara looked up, shocked, and as soon as their eyes locked, she let out a gasp before the tears began flowing. "Anakin!" She flung herself into his arms.

He held her, close, as if he would never let go. He let her sob in his arms as he tried to shush her. This time, no painful memories re-surfaced, just relief. Relief at finally having her back, no matter how dire the circumstances they were in. "It'll be alright, Ahsoka," he whispered quietly. "It'll be alright…"

Silence drifted over them. Amara's mind flashed back to the last time he had held her like this. Years ago, on the strange world of Mortis. She had nearly died. The Daughter had given up her life to bring her back. She had awoken to see Anakin run to her and then embrace her. Just like now. As if he would die if he was forced to let go again.

"Anakin." She pulled away, just slight – just enough so she could use her hands to brush the tears away. "I-I'm so sorry I dragged you into this. I never should have. It's all my fault…"

"No. It's not. It's not yours, Snips."

To hear him call her that again, just like old times, brought fresh pain, fresh tears. "C-Commander. He's the leader of Death's Shadow," she stammered, voice cracking. "I trusted him, and he betrayed me. Betrayed us all. Anakin, he's Barriss's father!"

"I know, Ahsoka." He swallowed hard, and shook his head. "I tried to trust her again. I took her with me, hoping she would lead me to you. But it was a trap, and I fell right for it. I tried to help you, and I failed." He looked down at her, and then ran his finger over her face, leaving a trail in the orange face paint – revealing the white markings he was so familiar with. "I'm sorry, Ahsoka. For everything that happened, everything that WILL happen."

They stared at each other, searching each other's eyes, looking for the peace that both needed so badly. They were a team, broken but still one. Torn apart yet always together. They were bonded, by their pain and by their friendship; in a way no one would be able to understand. 'Not even Lux…' Amara thought sadly, angrily. Anger directed at herself, for bringing the man she loved into this battle – her battle. If she died, the Death's Shadow would target him next. 'I'm so sorry, Lux. Please, be safe.'

"We'll get out of this, Ahsoka," he told her, sensing her thoughts as he had done so many times in the past. "We always do."

She looked up at him, and bit her lip. "We USED to, Anakin. But it's not like this now. This isn't some stupid battle bot that we can fool. This is the man I trusted with my life, with a group of terrorists behind him. With Coruscant on the line, as well as the OUSO. And us…" She stopped as she saw hurt flicker through his face. But she knew he already knew what the rest of her sentence her.

We, us, don't exist anymore. That died two and a half years ago.

He knew, but he didn't accept it. "So you're saying it's impossible." He almost gave her a smirk as the cell doors opened, and three guards stepped in.

"Good. We've done the impossible before."

The guards walked up to the them, and shoved them roughly to their feet. Amara glanced at Anakin, and was shocked to see him almost smiling at her. She saw a spark in his eyes that she had once seen so many times. The fire that she now realized she had missed terribly.

They were shoved out of the cell, and down a narrow hall that held the same, damp atmosphere. Up a flight of broken stairs, and out into a large courtyard made of gray and brown stone.

Kalzin stood in the center, along with Commander. And there, in front of them, stood Dasq and Barriss.

"Barriss?!" Amara could hardly breathe – the shock and pain that ran through her mind was unbearable. The flashbacks of a trial, an accusation, and a betrayal all ran in front of her mind, like a bad film that couldn't be turned off. One she couldn't escape. "No…"

Barriss stared at Anakin and Amara, and shook her head, backing away. "Father, you can't do this," she said quickly, quietly.

Commander looked down at her and frowned. "They are going to pay, Barriss." He looked down at Dasq. "You're brother knows that this is the right thing to do."

Dasq sneered. "Hell yea, I do. The Jedi must be punished for what they did to you and this galaxy, sis. Don't you see that? This isn't murder – it's justice."

Justice. The word rang through Barriss's mind. The same word she had used to defend her actions against the Jedi Order two and half years ago.

"And it will be justice that sends the Jedi Order crumbling," Commander added with a sneer. He took several steps forward, until he was just a few feet away from his prisoners. "Skywalker and Ahsoka. Lovely to have you join us."

"Nice to be here," Anakin scoffed. "Nice of you to make us the guests of honor." He glanced at Kalzin, and narrowed his eyes. "Why don't you have your pet bring us some refreshments or something."

Kalzin erupted, and it took a dozen guards to prevent him from killing the young Jedi that instant.

Commander remained calm, and even smiled. "You have a way of getting yourself into trouble, Anakin," he stated firmly. "But I'm afraid your wit and your precious Jedi can't get you and Ahsoka out of this one."

"Let Ahsoka go," Anakin replied, voice suddenly low. "I'm the one that caught Barriss and arrested her. Ahsoka had nothing to do with her capture."

Amara couldn't believe her ears. After everything that had happened, he was still protecting her. Still willing to trade his own life for hers. Being her Master, being her brother. And she couldn't let him do it alone. "No," she spoke up firmly. She looked at Anakin, and hoped he would understand what she was trying to do, trying to tell him. "I go wherever he does."

Commander let out a laugh that sent her skin crawling. "I wasn't planning on letting either of you live. But that was very touching." He shook his head, and then turned away.

"Still think we'll get out of this," she whispered bitterly.

Anakin glanced down and her, and sighed. "Yea." But she could tell he didn't believe it anymore.

Commander took a seat on a bench on the far end of the courtyard, and then nodded his head, gesturing to his men and Kalzin. "Go ahead, boys. Have fun."

Amara saw them bring forth several chains, knives, and then a huge, jagged dagger. She lost all control, and spun around until she could face Barriss. "Barriss, don't! Please!" she screamed as three guards came and began dragging her away. "Barriss! Barriss, don't do this! Barriss!"

Barriss turned away, and Commander stood up, angrily. "Shut her up!" he ordered, and then turned to Dasq. "Get Barriss back inside. Keep her there until this is over."

When she saw Dasq lead Barriss away, she knew it was over. There was no way Obi-Wan and the others would be able to get here in time. She winced as her bruised arms were strapped with chains, and then tied up in the air. She was being attached to a stone pillar, she realized. And she saw they were doing the same to Anakin. Directly across from her. They're eyes locked once more, and they both immediately knew Commander's plan.

He was going to hurt them in the worst way possible: by forcing them to watch each other die.


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