Author's Note: I like to thank everyone who reviewed on the first chapter—I really appreciate it! This chapter is a little mushy, but hopefully that won't bother you. Just a heads up: I don't really consider myself a romance writer, but I thought I'd branch out and try writing some. This is also my first story with multiple chapters—I usually write one-shots—so hopefully the storyline won't bore you. I appreciate constructive criticism and hope you enjoy the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or any of its characters.

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Ahsoka desperately searched for a place to hide. She was so tired of hiding. She was so sick of it. All she wanted was a normal life. Curse the Jedi for putting her in this position.

The sewer was dank and a disgusting bitter smell reached her nose. Treading through the murky water in a pair of combat boots, she couldn't think of a worse place to hide. Ahsoka had tried everything to escape, and it seemed that for now, this sewage tunnel would have to do, or else she risk being out in the open. Passing through a corridor and then turning into another, winding in and out of hundreds of tunnels, Ahsoka hoped it would slow down the hunt a little. Give her some time. By now, she was exhausted, but she kept walking. It was all too familiar now, the darkened stone walls of the sewer system passing by her. She couldn't tell if she was walking in circles. Her eyesight wouldn't focus anymore. And where was Rex? Thinking back, she couldn't remember when she'd lost him. It seemed as though he had never been there in the first place.

Keep walking, she thought wearily, just keep walking.

Her body couldn't hold on much longer. Ahsoka's legs were numb and her head was throbbing. Everything here was so...chaotic. Even when everything was perfectly serene and still, her mind was screaming for there to be order, to make some kind of sense.

The sudden rush of footsteps slapping against the sewer water caused Ahsoka to gasp and throw herself against the wall.

How did they find me?! She thought franticly. They couldn't have found her so fast. In fact, they shouldn't have found her at all

As suddenly as the footsteps appeared, the echoes of their movement faded away as Ahsoka started thinking logically. It was impossible that she could be found so easily. It should have taken days. Must be my imagination, she nervously thought. Her earlier thoughts about her life being perfect seemed laughable now. In that moment, it had been perfect. But that was only because she had forgotten about reality. For that one moment, she had had eyes only for her own little world, and now the rest of the galaxy wanted to join in.

Turning back toward the tunnel, she kept heading down the dark and shadowy hall until she came up to where four of the tunnels intersected. Not knowing which tunnel to continue down, she reached out with the Force, searching for answers. Instead of getting an indication of which path to take, she was hit with a intense, powerful wave of the Force, causing her body to smack against the hard wall behind her. She looked up, only to see...

Anakin Skywalker.

"Sky-Guy?" She asked tentatively. "I thought—aren't you—aren't you...a Sith? Didn't you betray us?"

Anakin stepped forward, although his body was mostly visible, revealing the familiar dark tunic he always wore, his face was still hidden by shadow. A grate above on the ceiling let little light filter through.

"Ahsoka, Ahsoka..." He said sweetly, but she could hear the deadly undertones in his voice. "Why would I betray the Jedi? I did not murder Jedi, I initiated justice. The Jedi betrayed me first, with all their lies and attempts to make me a weakling. What I did was not murder, but justice, justice for all their arrogance and secrets and lies."

"Justice? I think you mean revenge." Ahsoka snarled, gritting her teeth. "A trait of a Sith."

"Justice? Revenge? There is no difference between them. And that it why the Jedi are foolish. They deceive themselves to believe that they are better, that they are stronger. But Sith and Jedi are the same."

Ahsoka was slowly circling her way around him, groping the wall behind her to find her way. Anakin was creeping her out. His head was hanging down, his arms limp at his sides as he talked with a dull and empty voice.

"You're wrong. Justice and revenge are similar, yes, but it's the motives behind the action that determines whether it is justice or revenge. Just as it is with the Jedi and the Sith. Their motives are different. Jedi seek to give help and restore peace, whereas Sith," she spat the word, "Sith only seek power for themselves at the expense and suffering of others."

Anakin slightly rolled his head on his neck, revealing his lips, which curled into a cruel smile. "But here there's..."

He lifted his face finally, revealing sickly yellow eyes and sharpened teeth through a feral grin.

"...so..." His pale skin started cracking, splitting away, revealing a dark shiny metal underneath. Ahsoka's eyes widened in horror at the hideous sight before her, but her throat was empty and she couldn't find the strength in her to scream.

"...MUCH..."

The skin was falling off, and the black metal beneath took the familiar form of a helmet. His tunic had fallen apart to reveal dark armor underneath. Lifting his hand, he curled it into a fist and slowly turned his head to stare at her in silence. Khshh...pahhhhh...breathe in, breathe out. Darth Vader.

"...POWER!" Vader's mechanical voice sent chills ringing throughout her body. Ahsoka was frozen and she could only stare at him with widened eyes and a fearful look.

He stretched out a hand towards her. "Join us...You can sense the power we have. There are no foolish rules to hold you back here. There is no Jedi Order to dictate your life. There is only your destiny. And the power to take your destiny into your hands." The grating sound of Vader's voice finally awakened Ahsoka from her trance.

She suddenly turned and dashed for the tunnel entrance, her feet splashing against the water, her lungs breathing heavily in her desperate attempt to escape.

"You cannot run, traitor!" Vader laughed eerily. He reached out his hands towards her, as smoke started curling around his form and stretched out to surround her, pulling her in. She looked down. Her feet were running, but not moving. She couldn't escape, she couldn't move! "The power is tempting, yes?" He mocked.

"No, no!" Ahsoka screamed, her voice hoarse, "Leave me alone! The power is enticing at first, yes, but then you will control of it and it will consume you! The power is too much! You will destroy yourself!"

"It will destroy only the weak. The strong will always survive."

"No! No!" Her screams were fading now. She could hear herself whimper as the world around her darkened and all she could hear was the mechanical breathing of Darth Vader. "No..." Ahsoka sobbed. "No..."

"Ahsoka! Ahsoka! Wake up!"

Her eyes bolted open as she raised herself from the blankets on the dusty floor and squinted out the small doorway to the morning light.

Ahsoka's face felt wet and when she placed her hand on her cheek, found stinging tears running down them. Rex was crouched in front of her, dressed in a plain brown tunic. Not his usual attire, but they needed to fit in with the people here, and most of them wore such clothing. Ahsoka looked down to see that she was still in sleeping garments.

"What happened? Are you alright?" He asked, concern written all over his face.

"Just a nightmare. About them." Rex looked at her sympathetically, his features softening. "About him."

"Don't worry, Ahsoka. This can't last forever. We'll get out of here eventually." He reached out one his hands towards her, and although it was tough and calloused from his years as a soldier, he affectionately stroked her lekku with the gentlest of movements.

She stared at him silently and then reached out to cling to him, wringing his shirt in her hands. "I know, Rex, but I'm worried that he'll find me. He knows me. How I think. I don't—I don't want to—" she broke off into sobs, raising a hand to cover her face and eyes from him. He merely shifted his position so that his knees were resting on the ground, and took her into his arms, waiting for her body to stop shaking with the tears.

Finally gaining her composure, she once again turned to him. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "Don't be."

He smiled reassuringly. "I went out this morning. We have more water and I bought some bread."

He handed the loaf of bread to her, and as she expected, it was hard and tough. Life had been hard adjusting to Tatooine. Not only was the food dramatically different, but the climate was harsh, and there were many seedy characters at some of the larger cities.

They themselves had settled in a small village just outside one of the major cities, making it easier for them to access food, clothing, and other basic needs. Last month, Ahsoka's life had been pretty simple. It was during the middle of the night, when Rex got a message from Cody about the Empire, that everything turned upside down. Although Cody was part of the Empire, he still felt that Rex and him shared a strong friendship, and wished to warn them for their safety.

Order 66 had been devastating for Ahsoka. Being Force-sensitive, she had felt all the deaths very strongly, and it taken her a great deal of time to recuperate from the pain of it. As much as she felt the need to go and stop the Empire, Rex had convinced her there was nothing they could do at the moment, but when that right moment came, they would take their strike at the ones responsible. Shortly after, she had learned about Anakin's fate, which was another hard blow for her.

But when Cody called, the past had finally caught up with her and she was forced to accept it. The Empire was seeking out the remaining Jedi, either killing or converting them to their cause, and although Ahsoka had left them, the Empire still thought of her as a Jedi. Vader still thought of her as a Jedi. And they knew her whereabouts.

Although Rex was grateful, he had pointed out to Cody that if they discovered that he had sent them a message, he would be killed. Cody had reassured him about all the safety measures he had taken, but jokingly mentioned that if they did kill him, he would "be facing now what he couldn't face at Order 66." Even with a flippant attitude, Rex knew he meant the words. Cody didn't have the strength to do the right thing then, but he had been given another chance to redeem himself.

Rex had then cut the conversation short and practically dragged Ahsoka out of bed, settling her inside their ship. Throwing a few things inside, they had left instantly towards Tatooine, in the hopes that Anakin's darker past on that planet may delay him from visiting them anytime soon.

And so a perfect night turned into a rush to escape for their lives.

Ripping the bread apart with her teeth, Ahsoka stared at Rex. She was grateful for his knowledge and tactfulness in such situations. Sometimes she could take things to heart too much, and it clouded her judgment. He was always clear-cut and to the point. Which had led to a very interesting marriage, the thought bringing a small smile to her face.

Shortly after, Ahsoka was dressed and back to her normal composure. She desperately wanted to wander outside, but that was risky. There were a few Imperial stormtroopers around the area and plenty of people willing to sell the whereabouts of a former Jedi for a few credits. Sighing, she sat on a stool in the corner of their small apartment and prepared to deal with another empty day.

When Ahsoka looked up, Rex was staring at her again. His mouth opened several times but no words came out. She kept eye contact with him, waiting for him to speak.

"Ahsoka...I'm sorry things are the way there are. I know you wanted...I know we wanted a better life than this, to be left alone by other people's problems and have our own life together. I'll make it right. I promise." Rex's soft voice was full of sincerity.

"Rex..." She whispered, pulling close to him.

She slid her arms around his neck and pulled his head down, kissing him softly and sweetly. When she lifted her head away, she saw the hopeless look in his eyes. He was just as disappointed with the circumstances as she was. But they would have to get through it together.

Ahsoka stared into his eyes, silently, trying to find a way to comfort him. There was nothing. For either of them. Nothing except each other. And with that thought, Ahsoka abruptly and harshly pressed her lips against his once more, but this time kissing him with urgent fervency and passion, as though she would lose him if she let go. Her hands were running across his head and chest as he kissed her back strongly with as much intensity. After several minutes she pulled away, breathing hard, and gently rested her head against him. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, resting his chin on the top of her head, acutely aware of the soft feel of her lips and the faint brush of air from her ragged breathing upon the bare skin of his neck. He shuddered.

What if I lost her? He thought frantically. He couldn't. Wouldn't. Ahsoka was worth more than anything he could ever be. A planet's worth of hopes and dreams, tears of joy and laughter, the beauty of life and the hardships along the way that always proved that life was worth the struggle. All of it. Everything. The galaxy, the stars. Nothing could compare, nothing was worth more than her. He loved her, and if he lost her...if he lost her, then what he had really lost was himself.

He felt Ahsoka slowly slide her hands off him as she pulled away. "Oh, I love you." She breathed silently.

He grinned half-heartedly. "I love you, too."

It was a little past noon, now, he noticed as he looked out the small window of the room. Disentangling himself from Ahsoka, he stood and walked to the door. "Sorry, Ahsoka. I need to leave. There are still a few things I need to take care of, and I want to be able to return before dark. Will you be alright?"

She gave him a small smile. "Of course. Be careful."

He nodded and stepped out the door into the hot suns of Tatooine. He hated leaving her in that dusty little room, but there was little choice for her. Or him.

He sighed. Choice. Wasn't that why they both left the Republic? For their freedom? But now it was the Republic's enemy that was chasing them down and locking them in chains. He wanted to laugh at the irony of it all. No matter who had control of the galaxy, they always wanted to steal away their freedom. Taking one last, yearning look at the door to their apartment, he turned and walked off into the chaotic streets of Tatooine.

It had been a couple hours and every second that passed gave Ahsoka the chills. Something was wrong. She could sense it. She was almost glad that Rex wasn't here so that no harm would come to him. It had been a month. We've stayed too long, Ahsoka suddenly thought frantically, Oh Force, we've been in the same place for too long!

She knew something was wrong. And she wasn't about to let that danger come to her. Throwing on a cloak and hiding her face underneath its hood, she quietly snuck out the door and blended into the remaining people that wandered the streets at dusk. Hopefully she would be able to contact Rex and find a place to stay for the night. Ahsoka was feeling very strongly that their home was not a safe place anymore.

Starting to worry, she quickly walked through the streets, passing several homes, a junk shop, and a run-down cantina with very few patrons inside. Trusting in the Force to lead her to safety, she remembered their ship at the landing. Rex had been able to make a few adjustments to it so that it wouldn't recognizable as belonging to them and had kept it a shipyard that would hide it well. The only reason that they weren't living in their ship already was that the cockpit only had space for four seats, and it would be too cramped to try and live in there. But for tonight, however, she didn't mind having to sleep in a stiff and uncomfortable position, as long as she was safe.

Her movement was starting to cast long shadows across the sandy ground as she passed several outdoor lights. Ahsoka was the only one on the street now, but she still kept to the shadows to keep from being seen. Maybe it would look a little suspicious to someone who glanced her way, but there was plenty of strange going-ons on this planet, and she doubted they would think twice about it.

Ahsoka had made it to the shipyard now. It seemed normal, although she wasn't taking any chances. She had listened to the Force this far, and now she would listen again. Stretching out her hand, Ahsoka quieted her mind and sensed the Force surrounding, the currents filling every being, winding around their forms; it filled the space around objects and buildings, giving each item a form and an identity. She turned her focus to the shipyard, and reached out to sense any living forms within the area who could be a threat. There was nothing. She nodded, satisfied with the security of the region, and took a step toward her ship.

Instantly, she was thrown back by a powerful strength. Ahsoka's cloak went flying around her as her feet were kicked up into the air, and she heard a heavy thud as her body hit the ground and her back ground its way into the sand.

"Ugh." Ahsoka grunted as she pulled herself back up on her elbows. It was almost completely dark now, but she could make out the silhouettes of three forms in front of her. How did she not sense them? Unless...unless they had been able to hide themselves in the Force.

And only Jedi and Sith were capable of that. The Jedi were in hiding, and the Sith...

No!, She thought, I trusted in the Force to lead me here. It must be safe.

The three figures moved in closer, one in the front and the other two flanking the first. Suddenly an un-Jedi-like fear took over her. What if, during her panic at sensing a danger, she had misinterpreted the warning that the Force gave her, and had instead walked into a trap, rather than avoided one?

These thoughts running through Ahsoka's mind, she lifted her head and looked into the faces of her attackers. The two on either side had light armor, something that stood out against the dark light. Stormtroopers. Which meant that the tall one in front was...

"Jedi Tano." The clear, mechanical hum of his voice cut against the silent night. "You have been bothersome to find."

He leaned in slightly, revealing the terrifying mask that he now wore. He motioned to the stormtroopers.

"Take her."

The last thing she saw were the stormtroopers raising their weapons at her as Darth Vader stretched out his gloved hand towards her and sent her into unconsciousness.