The final chapter. The words written in bold are taken from 'The Wrong Jedi'.
When Ahsoka found out it was Barriss who had betrayed and framed her, she burst into tears. She had been in her cosy prison cell, deep asleep and woke up to Anakin and Rex shaking her shoulder, three Clone guards standing behind them. Anakin had immediately told her that she had been acquitted, that they had found who was behind the bombings and who had framed her. Ahsoka had perked up at that, immediately asking who it was and that was when everything went silent. Anakin and Rex had shared a concerned look, while the three guards all looked awkward. Ahsoka frowned. "What's wrong?"
Anakin rested a hand on her shoulder. "Ahsoka, it was Barriss who framed you."
After the stage of denial, disbelief that her closest friend and borderline older sister had betrayed her and the Jedi Order and had gone to the Dark Side, subsided, Ahsoka couldn't stop the tears from falling down her cheeks. Rex patted her back awkwardly, never one for physical comfort, but Anakin allowed her to curl into his chest and cry.
They escorted her out of the jail when she calmed a bit, Anakin keeping his arm around her shoulders. Whether it was intentional or pure coincidence, Barriss was being taken in at the same time. Ahsoka met her eyes and felt the urge to cry well up inside her. She shrugged off Anakin's comforting arm and reached out towards her former friend. "Barriss, why?"
The Mirialan shot her a hateful look. "The Jedi have become tools of war! We are no longer proud peacekeepers but pathetic soldiers."
Ahsoka squared her shoulders. "And you framed me?" She snarled, revealing her sharp teeth. "Your closest friend?! I relied on you! You were my sister! We even saved each other's lives!"
Barriss shook her head. "You have become corrupt with violence like the rest of the Jedi."
Ahsoka drew herself back, crossing her arms, and shook her head. Her lekku stripes darkened with her anger and she turned towards Anakin and Rex. She took a deep breath, trying desperately to calm herself down, before she whirled around, throwing herself at Barriss and landed a punch squarely on the side of the Mirialan's face. Hands grabbed Ahsoka's arms and pulled the two apart and she heard Anakin's voice hissing at her to stop.
Barriss placed a hand to her bruised cheek. "You've just proved my point, Ahsoka."
"You want to know what I've learned from you, Barriss." Ahsoka snarled. "That raising concerns will get you everywhere. Take that into consideration next time."
The Togruta raised her head proudly, glaring at Barriss before she was pulled from the entry way and into the sunlight. She fought off Anakin and Rex's restraining arms and walking into the sunlight, trying to calm herself down. But Anakin whirled her around and narrowed his eyes. "What did you do that for?"
"To make us even, I suppose." Ahsoka sighed, crossing her arms. She tilted her head up to the sunlight to warm her face. She could feel the annoyance radiating from both Rex and Anakin mixed in with a bit of pride. Ahsoka glanced at them. "I take it the Jedi Council wants to speak with me?"
"Yes," Anakin responded. He glanced at Rex, who gave them both a nod and left, his helmet tucked neatly under his arm. Anakin rested a hand on her shoulder. "Let's go."
"You have our most humble apologies, little 'Soka."
"The Council was wrong to accuse you."
"You have shown such a great strength and resilience in your struggle to prove you innocence."
"This is the true sign of a Jedi Knight."
"This was actually your great trial."
"We understand that the Force works in mysterious ways, and because of this trial, you have become a greater Jedi than you would have otherwise."
It wouldn't stop. Ahsoka let out a loud groan, burying her head into her hands. Master Plo Koon rested a hand on her shoulder. "What is wrong, little 'Soka?"
Ahsoka lifted her head. "I refuse to accept your apologies."
Shock radiated around the room, resulting in a few moments of silence which was broken by Master Windu. "And what is the reason for your refusal to accept our mistakes?"
"Master Windu when we were called back from Cato Neimoidia and met in this very room in regards to the bombing, you said that if there was a Jedi involved it couldn't be someone who wasn't on the planet at the time of the bombing." Ahsoka crossed her arms and squared her shoulders, preparing for the argument that was about to ensue. "That was the very reason you placed Master Skywalker and I in charge of the investigation. Yet, when Admiral Tarkin accused me of murdering Letta Bowmani, you all turned your backs on me, expelling me from the Order without request a viewing of evidence first."
"Ahsoka!" Anakin hissed, grabbing her shoulder. She continued, shrugging him off: "In fact, in the Chamber of Judgement, should there not have been an examination of the evidence that was going to be presented at my trial?"
By the end of her question, she was almost yelling and her hands were clenched by her side.
"Ahsoka Tano!" Mace Windu bellowed back. "Know your place."
"You expelled me. I am no longer a Padawan which means that my words right now will not have any effect on my standing." Ahsoka shot back. "And I also believe that this is completely necessary. How many times could this have happened in the future if my Master had not believed my innocence? Hell, I could have been put to death!"
She drew herself up. "I expected, as a previous member of this Order, to be given a fair trial in both the Jedi Order and the Coruscant government. Yet, the only people that helped me were my Master and the mastermind behind the bombing herself."
Master Plo stepped forward and Ahsoka could feel the guilt radiating off him. He rested a hand on her shoulder. "Little 'Soka, your words have struck deep but have raised clear problems." He knelt down in front of her, bowing his head. "As a Jedi and Kel Dor, I deliver my most heartfelt apologies and the promise that this dreadful mistake will never happen again."
Master Yoda moved forward as well as Ahsoka helped Master Plo to his feet. "Mistake, we have made. Your hurt, apologies will not heal. Back into the Order, you may come. Correct the mistake and right a wrong, help us to."
Ahsoka looked at the other Jedi Masters, all of whom looked angered by her words but could see the reasoning behind it. Master Yoda looked up. "Return to the Order, will you? Much to learn, we have."
Anakin rested a hand on her shoulder, her silka beads dangling from the other hand. But before he could say anything, Ahsoka raised her hands, stopping the talking. "Masters, I want to re-join the Order. The Jedi Temple is my home, the members my family. But the decisions made by the Council have destroyed my faith and my trust in the Council and myself. How can I dedicate myself to the Order when I cannot trust myself?"
Yoda looked concerned. "Mediative retreat, you could attend. You faith and trust, you could find."
Ahsoka paused, one hand drifting towards the silka beads. "My accusations to the Council stand. Where does this leave me?"
The members glanced at each other, before turning back. Master Windu stepped forward. "Could you please wait outside while we consider the information that has been presented to us?"
Anakin held Ahsoka's elbow carefully, guiding her out of the large room. The moment the doors closed, he groaned. "Snips!"
"Don't start, Master!" She snapped back. "You're as angry as I am."
He gripped her shoulders. "Yes, Ahsoka. I am. But yelling at them for what happened… I don't know if that's going to help."
Ahsoka dipped her head, studying her lekku as they fell past her face. She licked her lips, now anxious. In the cell before her trial she knew that Anakin would find out who framed her. But that still left her with a difficult choice regarding the Jedi Order.
"Master," she started, her voice barely a whisper. "I wanted to leave the Order."
His fingers dug into her shoulders as he stiffened, her words registering in his head. "What? No, why?"
"Because they didn't trust me. If the Council doesn't trust me, how can I trust myself?"
Ahsoka could feel the emotions that she had been so desperate of blocking, of burying, bubbling up to the surface and she felt tears well up in her eyes. She immediately wiped them away. This was not the time to break down. Anakin sighed, pulling her into a hug, one hand resting against her back lekku, the other wrapped around her shoulder blades.
"I know what it's like wanting to leave the Order, Snips." He confided. Ahsoka couldn't prevent the snort. He and Padmé couldn't be any more obvious. It was amazing that no one worked it out yet. "But if there is anyone you can trust, it's me. It's me and Obi-Wan and Rex and R2 and..."
His voice trailed off and she felt him rest his chin between her montrals.
"I know my decision hurts, Anakin." Ahsoka replied, using his first name to deliver the point. "But what's been done to me leaves me with so much anger and pain. What if staying here just intensifies it? I don't want to grow to hate my only home, Master."
Anakin left out a soft laugh. "We sound like we need to see therapists." Ahsoka smiled lightly. "But was yelling at the Council wasn't the smartest move."
"I've already yelled at the Admiral and the Chancellor." Ahsoka told him, slipping out from the hug and wiping her eyes again. "That was to save my life. This is to save the lives of others."
Anakin nodded and Ahsoka knows that he understands. She grabbed his hands, looking at the differences in their skin colours. "I know that you will help me regain trust. But I will follow my instincts. If I feel as though I need to leave the Order, I will."
The doors open and Obi-Wan walked out to greet them. "The Council is ready."
Ahsoka took a deep breath and squared her shoulders again. Her heart was beating much like it did when she was about to enter a battle. Anakin prodded her in the back lightly, getting her to enter the room. Yoda sat forward as they entered. "Much fear in you, I sense. Problem, you have?"
Ahsoka shook her head and Yoda turned to look at each of the Council Members. Master Windu leant forward. "Ahsoka Tano, we, the Jedi Council offer to reinstate you into the Jedi Order. Our proposal offers a three month Mediative Retreat with Master Ti. Once the three months have passed, you will be brought back in front of the Council to decide if you are able to resume the rank of Padawan."
Ahsoka bowed her head. A retreat would allow her to gather her thoughts, to work out her anger and Master Ti was a Togruta as well and was well grounded. She could sense the nervousness of the Council and of Anakin. Ahsoka raised her head. "I accept. But what of my accusations?"
"They will be taken into consideration," Master Plo assured her, "and, in collaboration with the Senate, we will work out a strategy to avoid this event from ever happening again."
Anakin and Obi-Wan saw her off. Master Ti had gained permission for the Mediative Retreat to occur on Shili, allowing Ahsoka to reconnect with herself in familiar and neutral grounds. Obi-Wan wishes her well and passes on similar messages from Master Plo, Padmé and Rex. The first and latter were unable to attend her farewell due to the war going on while Padmé was in a Senate meeting. However, the senator had previously given Ahsoka a holoprojector, promising to keep in touch and give her any advice needed.
Anakin hugged her for the third time in many days and Ahsoka can feel his happiness that she didn't leave the Order but his loneliness and sadness that she will be away. As they pull away, Ahsoka felt a familiar weight brushing against her back lekku and raised her hand to tangle her fingers in her Padawan braid. Anakin rested his hands on her shoulders. "While you may not officially be a Padawan, if you choose to stay with the Order… well…"
Ahsoka laughed lightly, giving him a light nudge on the arm. "I know, Skyguy. I know."
Hooray for friendly Anakin. I like his character more in the TV show than in the movies because he feels like he actually has a personality. I always felt as though his attachment to Ahsoka should have been better displayed, which is actually why there's a lot of hugging in this. So yeah, they are a bit out of character.