YES, I have FINALLY updated this story! On that note I am so so so SO sorry it took me so long. Writers block on top of real life issues prevented me from doing much of anything as I had planned. Also, for those that are curious and have been reading it, the second chapter of my Star Trek: Enterprise AU fic is going to be posted soon, as well as the final chapter of this story. The sequel to this story (in other words Episode VI of my AU story arc) should be posted sometime soon too, as I am only now beginning to write it. Now, I'm not giving dates out or estimates of when I'll post again, as those dates will likely get passed by with no updates whatsoever. I will only say updates are coming, and soon. For those of you that have already guessed exactly what is going to happen then I give congratulations, but for those that haven't, I wont spoil it for you by announcing it here. Besides, the people that guessed could be wrong, you never know. Anyway, enough ranting. Enjoy!

Chapter Seven

Remembering Past Actions

It had been three weeks since they returned home. In the first few days after their arrives, the Council had finally agreed to stop sending Ahsoka on vital missions to give her time to recover mentally and to give her a much needed break, something that they had been neglecting to give her. They had covered it as an excuse to train her Padawan, but both she and Anakin knew the real reason. She was honestly glad she was finally getting time off. Anakin had this time arranged for the leave personally. Last time he had only suggested it, and the Council had still sent her on a mission. Yes, it was a vital one. Yes, he agreed that she was needed for the mission because no one else experienced enough was available. Still, she had gotten hurt and he felt responsible, as any Master would for their own Padawan, even though she was now a knight. He cared for her like he did for his own children. And so Anakin had told the Council to give her a leave. He had also made certain that he would decide when that leave was over, and no one had opposed him. Now, three weeks later, Ahsoka still was not her normal self. Sure, she had appeared that way a few weeks ago, but Anakin saw right past it. He'd confronted her a few times about it, but she had each time pushed him away, refusing to discuss what was bothering her. Last week, he had given up, deciding to trust that she would come to him if she couldn't handle it. Tonight was different. Anakin awoke to a prodding from the Force. He knew what he had to do, what the Force was telling him to do. The Force had been kind enough to show him what would happen in the future. Either he would solve whatever was bothering her tonight, or he would lose her later. Losing Ahsoka was something Anakin refused to let happen. He got up out of bed slowly, trying not to wake Padmé. Of course, she woke up anyway.

"Ani, where are you going? It's four in the morning. What's wrong?" She asked.

"It's nothing, Angel. Go back to sleep." He answered.

"Anakin…" she said, and there it was. That single word and the look she gave him. The same look she always gave him when she knew he was lying. It got to him every time.

"Look, it's nothing, really. I'm fine, Padmé. It's something in the Force. It woke me up, telling me I need to do something." Anakin said. She continued to stare at him, this time folding her arms.

"Anakin, when are you going to be honest with me? I know that's not all of it." She said, and he sighed.

"It's Ahsoka. She's had another one of those nightmares. The one she won't discuss with me. The Force wants me to get her to talk. It showed me that if I don't, I'll lose her. I can't lose people I care about, Padmé."

"Then go. Do what you have to. I'll wait up." She replied. Anakin nodded, kissed her forehead, grabbed a shirt and left to go talk to his hot-headed former apprentice. When he got to her room, the door was unsurprisingly unlocked, as if she knew he was coming , and he walked in. He found her with her head in one of her hands.

"Are you alright, Snips?" he asked as he approached her.

"I'm fine. I just couldn't sleep." She replied. It was lie and he knew it.

"Was it another nightmare?" he asked, his voice authoritive yet soothing, leaving no room for evading the question. She simply nodded. He decided he'd try to ask about it first. He didn't want to force it out of her. He wanted to give her a chance to tell him of her own volition.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

"I'm fine, Master, really. It was just a dream." She replied.

"It must have been a bad one if it's gotten you this shaken up." He answered as he sat down next to her.

"I don't want to talk about it." She said.

"I can order you to tell me." He said. He didn't want to, but if it was the only way to get it out of her so he wouldn't lose her, he would do it.

"I said I don't want to talk about it. Just let me go back to sleep."

"I don't think so. I'm your Master, and you need to tell me what's bothering you." He said, this time using a tone she knew left no room for discussion. Instead, Ahsoka glared at him.

"No! I...I can't. You wouldn't understand." She said, her gaze shifting away from him and back to the wall.

"Ahsoka. Ahsoka, look at me." He said, using his hand to turn her head towards him. After a moment she looked up at him, tears in her eyes.

"I'm only trying to help you, Ahsoka. I know you think I won't understand, but how can I if you won't talk to me?" he asked.

"I….it….it was about the past. Our mission to Mortis." She said. Anakin put his arm around her.

"Take your time, Snips. Let me help you. I'm not going anywhere." He said. He was certain he knew exactly what about their mission to Mortis this would be about. He had hoped that she would never remember. Force, he didn't want to remember. Now she was remembering, and he had to help her. And so he with more patience than he thought he was capable of as she spent the next half an hour telling him everything. When she was done, there were tears falling from her eyes again, a rarity for her, for both of them.

"I'm sorry, Master. I didn't want to hurt you. I just couldn't stop." She said shakily after a few moment.

"I know. It wasn't your fault, Ahsoka. He had you under his control. Force, he even had me under his control. You know, you were dead. When he touched your forehead after you gave him the sword, he killed you. You're alive today because the daughter saved you with her last breath. As powerful as I am I can't bring back the dead, but she did. I won't let anyone else hurt you, Ahsoka." He told her, hugging her to him.

"Why are you always so overly protective of me, Master?"

"Would you prefer I wasn't?"

"No! I didn't mean it like that. It's just of all the Jedi, you're more protective of me. Master Kenobi too, I guess. I just want to know why. No one is this protective of their student and their Master but you." She replied. His expression went cold for a moment before softening again, and she was afraid he would push her away, but he didn't.

"Ahsoka, I'm that way with you and Obi-Wan because to me Obi-Wan is the father I never had, and you're like my sister. I love you both too much to let anything happen to either of you." And there it was. He'd finally said it, finally letting his feelings be known. He had always had trouble expressing his feelings with Ahsoka, even more so with his own Master.

"Are you…I don't…I don't know what to say. I never expected to hear you tell me anything remotely like this. If you're confessing your feelings, I should confess mine too. You're like a father and a brother to me, Skyguy. I…love you too." She replied. Anakin simply flashed his sideways smirk for which he was known for.

"Feeling better?" he asked, now having given her most of her personal space back, but leaving his organic arm draped over her shoulders.

"Yeah, I think so."

"We should get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning, Snips." He said, then got up and started to walk towards the door.

"Wait! Master?"

"What is it Snips?"

"I…well…I don't really want to be alone." She said. Anakin simply smiled and gave her a small nod.

"Skyguy?" she called out after laying back down. Anakin turned back to her on his way to the spare bed at the other end of the room.

"Thanks. For helping me. I didn't realize how much I needed it."

"Anytime, Snips. I'll always be here for you. Now get some sleep. I'll make sure you don't have another nightmare." He replied. Anakin decided he'd explain things to Padmé in the morning. For the first time since they had returned home, and using the Force to give Ahsoka a dreamless sleep, Anakin finally knew that everything was falling into it's rightful place, and he felt at peace knowing that everything would be fine.

The next afternoon, Anakin was summoned to the Temple for a Council session. He was also instructed not to allow Ahsoka to attend, even though she too was a member of the Council. Their reason for this was because they didn't want her to have to go through a session which consisted solely of a debriefing of Master Secura and Knight Offee. Anakin of course, in his own rebellious nature, didn't see things their way. As soon as he finished talking to Master Luminara, he turned his head to see Ahsoka in the archway of the communications room of theirs and Padmé's home at 500 Republica.

"Master…" she began but was cut off by a wave of his hand.

"I know, Ahsoka, you heard the whole conversation."

"How?" she asked.

"Come on, I know you, my old Padawan. You never miss any communication with the Temple whether you're supposed to hear it or not." He replied with a smirk.

"I'll go help Padmé in the Senate." she said, then turned and began to walk away.

"No, I don't think so, Snips. We're going to the Temple."

"You heard Master Unduli, I'm not supposed to attend this session. What good is my position on the Council if they don't trust me?"

"They do trust you. They're just worried that the briefing will overwhelm you. I know they told me not to bring you, but this time I don't agree with them. You need to be there if you're going to complete facing your fear of having been tortured, and don't tell me you already have, I know you too well."

"Master, they don't want me in this session. They gave you an order not to allow me."

"Yes, they did. Come on, Snips, you know me. I never really follow their orders. Not exactly, at least."

"So…you're not making me stay?"

"No. You need to be there whether the Council wants you there or not. Come on, I'm sure you don't want to miss me getting in trouble again." He answered in a teasing tone.

"Seriously Anakin, when haven't you been in trouble with the Council?" she replied. He just glared at her. "What?"

"Nothing, its just you haven't called me that in…well, I don't know how long."

"Not true, Master, I called you Anakin a few weeks ago."

"Alright fine, point taken. Now lets go, or I'll be in trouble for being late on top of bringing you with me." He replied, still teasing. She simply shook her head and followed him to the lift, which surprisingly enough opened to reveal Obi-Wan before they had even gotten close to it.

"Why do I get the feeling he's here to make things difficult for me?" he asked of no one in particular.

"Come now, Anakin, you do that by yourself through your own reputation." Obi-Wan told him as he walked over to them.

"What are you doing here, Master?"

"I came to ensure you weren't late to the Council session." He told him as they neared the lift and entered it.

"Hey, it wouldn't have been my fault if…"

"Anakin, I thought you were told not to bring her with you to this session." Obi-Wan said, effectively stopping whatever excuse Anakin was about to give him.

"I was." He replied.

"Then why, might I ask, is she riding the lift with us? Do tell me you're disobeying orders again."

"Sorry Master, but this is something I have to disagree with. She's on the Council and has a right to be there. Besides, she's gotten over Ventress. She'll be fine."

"Anakin, when are you going to stop always doing things your way?" Obi-Wan replies, sighing in frustration.

"Probably never. This is Master Skywalker we're talking about." Ahsoka said. She just couldn't pass resist teasing both of them at once, it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Anakin simply glared at her. Obi-Wan groaned.

"I knew it was a bad idea to give you a Padawan on Christophsis. I should have known what I was getting myself into."

"You do realize it would probably be worse if you didn't have Whie as a Padawan, because then you'd be training Luke or Leia instead." Anakin told him.

"Dear Force, no. One Skywalker was enough for a lifetime, and you give me more than enough gray hairs as it is. Speaking of Leia, who are you planning on blackmailing into training her? You've already blackmailed your old Padawan into training Luke."

"Hey! It wasn't blackmail, Master Kenobi. I could have said no if I wanted to. The Force wanted me to train him, so that's what I'll do."

"Why do I always lose the arguments." Obi-Wan groaned in exasperation.

The rest of the way to the garage of 500 Republica and then the trip to the Temple was made in silence. Once they arrived at the Council chamber's ever looming doors they walked in.

"Master Skywalker, you were told not to allow your former Padawan to attend this session. Is there a reason you are disobeying the decision of this Council?" Master Fisto asked.

"My apologies, Masters, but I disobeyed the decision of the Council in this instance because I believe the Council is wrong in their consideration of the matter."

"Hmm. Why wrong do you believe this Council is?" Yoda asked.

"In all honesty Masters, I know Ahsoka. You do not. Therefore it should not be your place to decide when she is or isn't ready to face situations. That should be the decision of her Master, and as her Master, I believe her to be ready. I mean no offense, but if you can't trust in my ability to make these kinds of decisions, then perhaps it's time to rethink who should be on this Council." Anakin replied. He spared a glance at Obi-Wan, who was groaning inwardly. Why Anakin always felt the need to make things more difficult than they needed to be he would never know, nor did he want to. Master Yoda looked from Kit to Aayla and back to Anakin again.

"A good point you make, Master Skywalker. Wrong we were, to assume that ready, she would not be." Yoda told him. Everyone understood this to be the end of the discussion. As Anakin took his seat, he spared yet another quick glance at his former apprentice. She glanced back and smirked.

"Master Secura, what have you to report?" Luminara asked.

"Barriss and I were able to track one of the ships that attacked the Twilight to a remote planet far out on the edge of the Outer Rim, very close to Wild Space. We queried the Archives for information on the planet but found none. Apparently, the data had been erased similarly to what had been done with Kamino." Aayla answered, who was now standing in the center of the Chambers with Barriss.

"No, that's not possible. We went over the Archives very thoroughly after finding Kamino had been erased. I inspected the data personally." Obi-Wan said, who was now somewhat confused and troubled.

"Maybe it happened after the data was inspected, or maybe whoever it was used a technique to erase the data that we aren't familiar with." Ahsoka suggested.

"Possible, that is. Investigate this, we will. When arrived at this planet you did, find any trace of Ventress, did you?" Yoda asked. Aayla and Barriss both glanced to Ahsoka before Aayla reported that Ventress had evaded them.

"We saved the coordinates of the planet. They seemed to be massing a fleet there, so we weren't able to land and investigate further without risking being discovered. We don't know how precisely large the fleet is, but it is at least comparable to the fleet that invaded Coruscant during the war. We have no way of knowing whether or not Ventress is on the surface of that planet." Barriss said.

"Unfortunate this news is. Master Kenobi, continue searching for Ventress, you and your Padawan will. Master Secura, a diplomatic ship you will take. Attempt to negotiate with this fleet of ships, you will. Master Fisto, go with you her will." Master Yoda said. Everyone began to file out of the chamber, but Yoda asked that Anakin and Ahsoka remain.

"Disobeyed instruction you did, Master Skywalker. Unwise it was, but correct you were. Wrong the Council was." Master Yoda said.

"Thank you, Master. That wasn't the only reason you asked us to remain, was it?" Anakin asked.

"Serve you well, your instincts do, Anakin. An assignment I have for you both." Yoda replied.

"Master, you know we requested leave for the next month, and that it was granted. We need some time to rest."

"Know that I do. An easy task, this is. Not long will it take."

"What would you have us do?" Ahsoka asked, curious.

"To the Senate, you will go. Make a report personally to the Chancellor, you will. Answer his questions as best you can. Afterwards, continue your leave you may." Yoda told them. As soon as they left the Temple, Anakin turned his gaze on his Padawan. Sure, she wasn't exactly his Padawan anymore, but no matter how many times he tried to tell himself that, he always ended up feeling the same in the end. She was his Padawan, former or not, and he was never going to stop thinking of her as such.

"Alright Snips, what's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing's wrong, Skyguy." She replied. She knew it was a half truth, and so did he.

"Come on, I know you better than that. When are you going to stop being dishonest with me?" Anakin asked.

"I'm not being dishonest with you. I wasn't lying when I said nothing was wrong. Not exactly, anyway."

"Then what is it?"

"It's just that they're always giving us assignments. You, me, Obi-Wan. We never get any time off."

"Ahsoka, this isn't really an assignment, you know that."

"I know, but Master Yoda said it was. We were supposed to be on leave for the next month only we're still, well, not on leave."

"Just because Master Yoda said it was an assignment doesn't mean it really is one. I seem to remember explaining this to you quite a few times during your apprenticeship."

"Sorry, Master. I never really was the excellent student I should have been."

"Hey, now you know that's not true." He told her.

"I never really listened to you when I should have, though. I always got in trouble, or got lost. I even somehow managed to get on your bad side sometimes." She said, looking to the floor of the speeder that they were taking to the Senate. Miraculously, they had taken a cab. Neither of them really had the energy to drive at the moment.

"We all make mistakes, Ahsoka. I made more than my share of mistakes when I was a Padawan. Just ask Obi-Wan, he'll tell you how hard it was training me. I never really was easy on him until after I was knighted. Don't ever let yourself think that you weren't a good student. I couldn't have asked for a better apprentice. Obi-Wan and the Council were right when they assigned you to me. I didn't want to believe that at first, but I was different then. Obi-Wan's never going to let me hear the end of it if he finds out I said this, but you were the best Padawan any Master could hope for. I mean that, Snips." Anakin told her. He had ever so rarely been this serious with her. Ahsoka looked up at him, and she too now felt what he had last night. Everything was going to be just fine.