Chapter 2

Confusion

Ahsoka POV

"Ahsoka, are you going to answer Master Windu's question or not?" Anakin asked impatiently. All of the eyes in the room turned toward me.

"Um, yes. Lux and I have worked with each other before. Why do you ask?" I replied, almost having froze up in front of the Council, my master, and my crush.

"We wanted to make sure how well you two work together, given you guys will be going on a mission, along with Skywalker," Windu said.

"I am? Oh, well… um… what's the mission?" I asked, standing there frozen in place, as I ran up a couple of scenarios in my head in which I could get out of this. Don't get me wrong, it's just everytime I'm with Lux, I can't help but glance at his wavy hair, or his amazing smile, and I always get lost in those hazel-blue eyes…

Well I guess you guys get the idea.

"Your mission will consist of sneaking into a separatist base and releasing the hostages," Windu replied.

" Well if I may ask, where does Bonteri come into all of this?" my master replied.

"According to him, just before Tano here rescued him, Dooku had ordered his death. But what Dooku didn't do was to change Bonteri's status as a separatist. And sure enough Bonteri still has access to most of the separatist bases," Windu answered, sounding bored.

"Okay, but still. There are hostages all over the galaxy. What's so dang important about these?"Master asked, sounding winded as if this conversation had taken all the energy out of him.

"Padme Amidala and her advisors, these hostages are. Contain very viable information, they do," Yoda said, as Master sucked in a breath and tried very hard not to break anything.

Pretty much everyone was oblivious to Anakin and Padme's relationship but I had saw them kissing one night in the senate building. It had hurt me a little to say the least but not because I had a crush on my master. He's more of a brother toward me anyway. It hurt because they didn't trust me to keep their secret. I thought my master trusted me with everything at the time. I guess not.

But seeing the anger and worry in my masters eyes made every little grudge I held against my master, disappear, mostly out of fear and pity.

I've never seen him this angry, I thought. No, wait. The Dream.

"Excuse me masters", Anakin said."I need to go meditate." Without permission, Master left the left the room.

"Don't worry. We'll fill him in later," I said. "Now, how are Master and I gonna get in. I mean, no offense but, two Jedi walking through a separatist base are sure to attract some kind of attention."

"Oh don't worry. Bonteri has it all planned out," Master Shaak Ti explained.

Lux then stepped up and and explained it to the rest of the Council. "Well I was planning to use Ahsoka as the Jedi hostage, but since Skywalker stepped in to the picture I'll have to use him as the Jedi hostage and Ahsoka as my betrothed."

"You really think that'll fool them?" Master Windu asked.

"It fooled Death Watch when we were captured by them," I said remembering when I had to come up with an excuse to explain as to why I was with Lux at the Death Watch base.

"Yes, we remember the report you gave us," Master Kenobi said. "Anyway you guys leave tomorrow at noon. You are dismissed."

Lux Bonteri POV

Ahsoka and I walked through the halls of the Jedi Temple stuck in an uncomfortable silence.

"So Lux, how you been out on your own for the past seven months?" Ahsoka asked, breaking the silence.

"Oh, well it's been hard not having Mother around but I've managed alright." I didn't feel like explaining the jobs I had to do for some of the local gangs or how many family heirlooms I had to sell to keep my small apartment here on Coruscant.

"Oh, well if you're doing anything later tonight I was wondering if you wanted to go to Dex's Diner. Master Kenobi knows him so maybe we could get a discount off of him," she said, with a mischievious look in her eyes.

"Cool. Where should I meet you?" I asked barely hiding the excitement in my voice.

"At the front of the Jedi Temple. 7:00. See you there," she said.

Then she kissed me on the cheek and skipped away.

I couldn't comprehend what had just happened. I think I just said yes to a date with Ahsoka and she kissed me, I thought, gently touching the spot where her lips had been. Then a goofy grin spread across my face.

She kissed me. She kissed me!

I could have yelled in excitement but then I remembered where I was and regained control of my emotions.

Then I walked off toward the temporary residence the Jedi had given me and started getting ready for my date with Ahsoka.

Ahsoka POV

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! I thought, thinking of the kiss I had given Lux.

I should have never done that! He probably doesn't like me anyway… but what about that kiss he gave me on Carlac. Oh, well he was just trying to shut my loud mouth before I got in trouble, but still…

I rushed to my room and started looking for something to wear on the date, deciding not to dwell on the kiss I had given Lux. Then I saw the outfit I had worn to that Senate Ball I had gone to with Senator Amidala.

And I accidentally spilled my drink all over Master! Ha! Me and Padme got a kick out of that!

I smiled remembering that night then frowned thinking of my latest mission to rescue her.

Who knows what they're doing to her at the base… and I don't even want to think about what Master must be doing right now. Maybe I should pay him a visit. After all my date with Lux isn't for another six hours and it's not like I have to do my hair… considering I don't have any.

I walked over to my master's quarters and knocked three times. No answer.

In fact the only noise I could hear coming from the cabin was moaning and crying. That was a sign that Master was definitely not feeling the best.

I swung open the door to find my master, shirtless, laying on the ground, crying and holding a bottle of something in his hand.

I raced toward Master and removed the bottle from his hand. Liquor, I thought. He was trying to get himself drunk!

"Master! Can you hear me?" I asked, trying to pull him up into a sitting position but then when I tried to feel his pulse he slapped me. Really hard.

"M-Master?" I whispered, terrified of the man that towered over me as he stood up.

But instead of going for another hit he said, "Snips?

And then he collapsed to the floor, crying.