A new day, another day of living in a depressed zone without her. Once he was up, he started his routine all over again. He didn't have a lesson with the younglings today, so he could basically do whatever he wanted. He needed to get out again.

"So restless," said Ahsoka, laying on his bed.

"You should know me by now," said Taran.

"I thought what you told me would have lightened you up," said Ahsoka.

"Telling myself how I feel doesn't work that way," said Taran.

"Guess you're stuck then," said Ahsoka. "So tense as well."

"Please stop it," said Taran. "If you don't mind I'd like to shower. Alone."

"Suit yourself. You know where to find me if you need some comfort," she said before disappearing.

"I think I need some serious help," said Taran as he showered.

"-and in time, your journey to the secret of the living Force will be complete," said a Jedi recorded message in a holocron. Taran closed the image and returned the holocron back to the shelf. Standing up, he began to walk out.

"Find everything you needed Padawan?" said Jocasta Nu.

"Yes Madame Jocasta," said Taran, giving the Chief Librarian a small smile. He always liked her, seeing her as kind of a grandmother.

"Will that be all?"

"Yes ma'am. You have a good day," said Taran, bowing to her before leaving. He began to make his way towards the hangar in the Temple. Reaching the hangar he looked around at the everyday hustle and bustle. Hard to believe that three months ago that the bombings occurred right here.

"R3!" said Taran as the little green astromech droid rolled over to him. The droid chirped excitedly, seeing his human companion after all this time. How R3 got here, he didn't know, but he was glad to see the little droid anyway. A gunship entered the hangar, landing in the designated area. Its doors opened to let out some Plo Koon and his apprentices, Bruck and Tia.

Taran smiled when he saw his two old friends. However, when he saw Master Plo Koon, it hardened.

"You betrayed her."

"Taran? How've you been?" said Bruck.

"I'm okay," said Taran. "Just got back from Cato Nemoida?"

"Yes. The Nemoidians won't be giving us problems for awhile," said Tia.

"Good to know," said Taran.

"How has your training gone along young one?" said Taran.

"You betrayed her."

"It's going just fine," said Taran, his tone icy. Bruck and Tia noticed. So did Plo Koon.

"Is everything alright?" said Plo Koon.

"You betrayed her."

"Yes, Master Plo, everything is just fine," said Taran, putting emphasis on the last word. Plo Koon looked uncertainly at him.

"I will see you two tomorrow after the briefing. Carry on with your training," said Plo Koon.

"We will Master Plo," said Bruck and Tia. He nodded at them before he moved off towards the entrance to the Temple.

"Are you and Master Plo okay?" said Tia.

"Yes, why?" said Taran. Tia shrugged, but she knew deep down it had something to do with Ahsoka. She and Bruck had taken Ahsoka's departure hard as well. Tia missed her terribly, but she knew that Taran missed her probably more than anyone else.

"Anyway, how have you two been?" said Taran, a small grin forming. Bruck smiled while Tia blushed. Judging from these signs, Taran could see it was going very well indeed.

"I take it it must be very well," said Taran. Tia nodded as her hand linked with Bruck.

"I'll leave you two to each other. I'll be back tonight," said Taran.

"Are you going somewhere?" said Bruck.

"Yes. Going to see Padme," said Taran.

"Ok. Don't be too long," said Tia.

"With how you two are, I'll take my time," said Taran, smiling as Tia blushed again. He smiled before walking towards a speeder. Bruck watched him go.

"It's like he's a shell of his former self," said Bruck.

"Can you blame him?" said Tia, seeing his speeder leave the hangar.

"I wish there was someway we could help," said Bruck. Tia nodded as they walked out of the hangar, hand-in-hand.

Taran walked into the Senate Apartment Complex, pressing the speaker button.

"Hello? Who is it?" said the voice of C-3PO.

"It's Taran," said Taran.

"Ah, master Taran. Ms. Padme will see you presently," said 3PO. Taran got on the elevator and took it up to Padme's suite at the top. As he ascended he felt the air temperature cool down.

"Just like on Naboo," he thought, remembering their leave that was so long ago. He remembered when he and Ahsoka spent the day swimming and discovering the underwater cave. The memory seemed so happy, but it also saddened him remembering the past.

The elevator stopped and opened to Padme's apartment, where 3PO awaited him.

"Good to see you 3PO," said Taran.

"Nice to see you as well master Taran," said 3PO.

"3PO,just Taran," said Taran, smiling at the protocol droid.

"Certainly," said 3PO as Padme came into the room. She was wearing a heavy blue gown to cover her form, her hairstyle in a bun.

"Hello Taran," said Padme.

"Hello Senator," he said. One part of his personality was that he was always formal, even if he knew the person.

"Taran, just Padme," said Padme, smiling. Taran knew why Anakin loved Padme: that smile could make anyone melt. "Come sit."

"How has your day been Padme," said Taran.

"It's going fine, just more meetings with the Senate lately. With the war going on it gets more stressful with day-to-day affairs. How are you getting through it?" said Padme.

"A little more everyday," said Taran. "But sometimes I can't handle it. That's when I just go out and walk around the city, to try and escape it, but every time I go back it feels like it gets worse. I don't know what to do anymore Padme."

"Sounds like you have to sort out your priorities and your past. That's usually not an easy thing to go back and fix. Have you talked to a Jedi Master about it?" said Padme.

"I don't want to talk to them about it," said Taran, "and Obi-Wan has been off comlink for a few weeks."

"Taran, I know you old a grudge against the Council, but you have to forgive them for what they did. They made a mistake, it's not worth hating them for it," said Padme.

"It's not that simple Padme. When Ahsoka left, my heart left with her. No one except maybe you and Anakin know what it's like to hold someone that close to you. I feel like I'm suffering everyday. She was there for me through everything. She came to rescue me when I was in prison, stood by my side to see that I was innocent in the murder of a Senator, lifted my spirit when I was down. I don't have that anymore," said Taran.

Padme nodded. Heavens knows she would have felt the same if Anakin had left for that long a period without any word whatsoever. She hadn't seen him for months as well, and she was particularly anxious for him to come back. Especially now.

"I understand how you feel," said Padme. "If you really need to talk to someone, I'm here for you."

"Thanks Padme," said Taran.

"Oh, Ms. Padme, here is your tea," said 3PO, walking in with the tea cup and plate in his hands.

"Thanks 3PO," said Padme. Taran caught a whiff of it as it went past, and he smiled from it.

"Ginger?" said Taran.

"Yes. Ever since we stopped at Elementia after Julla I've acquired a taste for tea, especially white dragon," said Padme. She took a sip and sighed from the relaxing sensation that went through her body, particularly her stomach.

"Glad to know a part of my culture is being shared in the galaxy," said Taran. "Although ginger is used for an upset stomach. You feeling alright?"

"Yes, why?" said Padme, though she didn't sound sincere about it. There was something about Padme's tone that still sounded funny, but Taran decided to drop it. If she didn't want to tell him, it was alright. She would tell him in her own time. They spent the rest of that afternoon chatting and socializing before Taran saw what time it was and knew he had to leave.

"Thanks for the afternoon Padme," he said.

"Stay in touch," said Padme. Taran hugged her, which took her by surprise, but she returned it. Taran felt something poking his stomach, but he assumed that it was her clothes.

"Bye 3PO," said Taran as he left the apartment.

"And a good day to you Master Taran," said 3PO.

Touching back down in the hangar, Taran left the speeder. R3 chirped and moved toward him. Taran rubbed the dome of the droid, wishing him well before he left the hangar and went towards his quarters.

The door opened automatically once he put his number in and in he went. Taking off his clothes he went in to shower. The hot water cascaded down his body once again, relaxing him. For once, he felt relieved. He sighed from the feeling before he began to wash himself. Once he thoroughly scrubbed himself down, he exited and dried off with his Airbending.

He threw on some pants and a loose nightshirt, climbing into bed and closing his eyes. Willing sleep to come to him. Eventually, after much tossing and turning, it happened.

He was walking down a dark hallway, dark shapes moving around on the walls. It was an eerie place, and frightening as well, but for some reason he found he wasn't afraid of the walls at all. He kept moving forward, seeing a light at the end of the hall. The walk seemed to take forever, but he made it all the same. Stepping into the light, he was met with a large, white room. A doorway was on the other side opposite him. Nothing was stirring here. All was calm.

Unknowingly, he walked to the center of the room.

"Glad you could make it," said a voice. Taran looked around until he saw the shadow behind him. He glared at it.

"How many times must I tell you to leave me alone?" said Taran.

"As soon as you surrender yourself to the power inside you," it said as it swirled around him, making the room darker until the walls were pitch-black, but the shadow could be seen as bright as if the room were still lit.

"I can't. You know what that power can do to others? To me?" said Taran.

"You killed a scientist with it, a mad scientist who almost killed your love interest, true?" it said.

"That was different," said Taran. "I didn't know what it was."

"But you were able to save lives and bring the war closer to an end. Isn't that what you wanted?" it said.

"I can't control it! If I use it, I can just as easily hurt my friends with it," said Taran.

"It's your birthright, your destiny," it said, circling him even closer before looking over his shoulder.

"I don't want it, and I don't need it," said Taran, closing his eyes.

"Then you will never achieve the true limits of your power," said the shadow. It grew until the face stood in front of him, its mask disappearing. It was the face that would haunt his nightmares for probably the rest of his life.

"Please leave me alone," said Taran, softly. "I've already been through enough."

"And you'll experience more," he said before its face swirled to reveal a scene. Taran's eyes widened and his heart seized in his chest from what he saw. Ahsoka was on a table, bound and chained. An unknown person was beating her repeatedly with unseen fists. She cried out from the beating, her mouth gagged, but small cries and grunts still rang out in the room. Her eyes were watery from the tears that escaped her eyes. Her clothes were torn and dirty, her body covered in cuts and bruises, dried blood in spots on her head, arms and legs.

"Ahsoka!" he called out, but his throat constricted and no sounds came out. He was frozen in place as he watched the scene unfold. The beating continued, and he could do nothing to stop it.

"This will happen if you don't embrace your power, and your destiny," it said before it swirled around him in a tornado. Voices from the darkness shouted out to him from the gloom as he was forced to his knees from their incessant cries.

"You can't save her!"

"You can't save anybody!"

"Look at your parents!"

"You can't even save yourself!"

"Ah!" yelled Taran as he sat up bolt right, the nightmare disappearing in the blink of an eye. His body was sweating and his pants resounded in the room. He looked around to make sure that he was out of his dream before he fought to regain his normal breath rate. He got up and went into his bathroom to hurriedly drink some water and pour some onto his face. He slowed his breathing as he gripped the edge of the sink.

"That couldn't have been real," he thought. "He was just doing that to get me to see his way." Yet, why was he so unsure?

"It couldn't have been real.." he said to himself.

"But could it?"