Disclaimer: Disney owns Star Wars, not me. All the characters and places (except for my OC Analise Joy) belong to them.

"aaaa"-talking out loud."aaaa"-talking through a holo. 'aaaaa'-inner thoughts. aaaaa-talking through a Bond

AN: Thank you nesscaryreading for the review! Yep, the twins are getting their party:)

For future reference in my stories Obi-Wan is eleven years older than the twins and Ahsoka is seven years younger than the twins. Her birthday comes after their's. I also lowered Qui-Gon's age so that he could be more active in my stories. However Qui-Gon's age won't be a big deal:) PM or review if you have any questions.

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Chapter Three

Anakin would admit it. The Room of a Thousand Fountains wasn't his favorite place in the Temple. Nor was it his second or third. First was a tie between Obi-Wan's quarters and Qui-Gon's quarters. Second was the Temple hanger and third was the Temple speeder pool where all the Temple speeders were kept. The Room of a Thousand Fountains was a distant fourth, but it was the perfect place to meet others...and watch the hyperactive younglings.

"Yay! Anakin's here!"

"Ommph! Hey Ahsoka not so hard." Ahsoka Tano giggled while Aayla Secure simply smirked. She knew that no matter how much Anakin tried to play the stern older Padawan to Ahsoka's still innocent Initiate, the instant that little Togruta gave him her saddest, most tear-filled eyes; Anakin would cave.

So rather than help Anakin free himself from the clutches of a madly giggling eight-year-old, the older Twi'lek stood back to happily watch.

"Aren't you going to help?"

"Nope. This is way too much fun."

"Aghhh...she's only like this because Ana's not here. When Ana's around, Ahsoka wouldn't dare act like this." Anakin attacked with tickles causing Ahsoka to squeal and wiggle away. "How can you be a perfect lady like Ana is if you act more like a wild gundurk?"

Ahsoka darted behind Aayla and made at face at Anakin. "I can be whatever I want Anakin Skywalker. I want my Ana!" Aayla laughed.

"Well it's clear to me who her favorite Skywalker is."

"She'll be over in a click or two. Ahsoka, Ana will be here after her lesson with Healer Che and than we will take you down to the mess for a snack before Master Plo needs to take you back to the creche." The girl pouted, but nodded. Anakin was fun to play with, but Ahsoka wanted to be just like Analise. Well...maybe a more hyperactive version of Analise.

"If I didn't know any better Anakin, I would swear that Ahsoka is your baby sister."

"I'm not a baby!" Ahsoka stepped back from Aayla and glared, hands on her hips.

"A thousand apologies Initiate Tano." The girl sniffed then turned on her heel, stumbling only a little, before flouncing off to the edge of the pond.

"Ahsoka..." Anakin growled a warning in his voice. At first Ahsoka seemed determined to ignore him, but eventually she turned and sat down on the ground. Sighing Anakin invited Aayla to join him on the ground. "I did want to ask you something and it isn't will you help me watch Ahsoka until Ana gets done. I wanted to ask if you would like to come to a party?"

"A party?" Aayla's eyes widened. It was kind of hard to shock the Padawan of the famous Quinlan Vos who was an expert on shocking people, but he had done it. "You mean like a fancy Senate Party or something like that?"

"Nope. A birthday party. I got permission from Da, Obi-Wan, Master Plo, Master Adi, and Master Yoda to throw a birthday party for Analise. I'm calling it a Force 16 and it will be at Dex's."

"Me too?"

"Of course Ahsoka." Anakin hugged her. "Ana will need our little shadow there." Letting out a shout of joy, Ahsoka jumped up and began to dance around. A rare showing of her true age. Raised in the Temple since they were babies or toddlers, Jedi grew up fast and rarely acted their age. Ahsoka was different. She was more like Anakin and Analise, although she had been three when she had been brought to the Temple.

Anakin, Analise, and Ahsoka could be the serious Jedi that the Order and galaxy expected of them; but none of them were afraid to act their age. They weren't afraid to express themselves openly and frequently. Such freedom of expression among the Jedi was growing in popularity. It was a breath of fresh air in what had been a stodgy, traditional way.

Anakin reached out a hand to stop the dancing youngling. "You can't tell Analise alright Ahsoka?" She stared at him, trying to be as serious as wide baby-blue eyes would allow. "This is my gift to Ana for our birthday, so it has to be a surprise. Got it?"

"Got it!" Ahsoka chirped and saluted before spying a mouse droid that must have gotten it's navigation system confused. "Mouse!" She happily went off to chase it...so she could take it apart to see what was broken. Then bring it to Anakin for him to fix and to get into trouble instead of her.

"I have a feeling I'm in for another scolding from Da or Obi-Wan."

"You're just a bad influence big brother," Aayla teased him then frowned. "A party though? Why a party? Most gifts exchanged among Jedi are small and useful, carefully thought out."

"I want to give Ana a little taste of Earth. It was her home for nearly thirteen years and on Earth they have birthday parties. She told us." Anakin's shoulders hunched, a warning he was upset. "Besides, she's feeling like she doesn't fit in again."

"Again."

"Yes." A sad nod. "Some of the older Padawans have been teasing her. Telling her she can't really ever be a Jedi because she wasn't raised in this galaxy." He kicked at the ground and Aayla was grateful no Knights or Masters were there to see his display of anger and hurt. "They don't tease me, just her when I'm not around. I want to throw this party for her. It's more than just a gift Aayla. I want to show Ana just how much she is loved and cared for by others. Not just myself or Obi-Wan or Da."

She was struck by the conviction in Anakin's voice. The feeling through the Force that what he was planning was good, right. "I think I know some of the Padawans you are talking about. They belong to the Old Camp."

"Old Camp?"

"You need to get out more Anakin" The Twi'lek gently pushed him. Ahsoka, board with the mouse droid returned and sat herself down on Anakin's lap.

"You're getting too big for that Ahsoka. Anyway what do you mean by the Old Camp Aayla?"

"It's a group of Knights and Masters, most them elderly who believe that the Jedi do not need to change. They want us to return one hundred percent to the old ways and follow them even more strictly than we were." Aayla sighed and gently pushed one of her lekku off her shoulder. "Master Quinlan has heard some of them debating whether or not you and Ana should just leave because you were both too old when you came and Ana wasn't even raised in this galaxy."

"What a load of poodoo!" Ahsoka jumped at Anakin's exclamation and the boy was quick to add "Don't ever say that Ahsoka."

"Okay..."

"That's a line Aayla and you know it." He tightened his grip on Ahsoka. The girl didn't say anything only snuggled close. She knew that with Ana not there, it was up to her to keep Ani calm. Though she wasn't as good as it as Ana was. "The Jedi need to change. A blind person could see it."

"Yes...They also don't realize have a divide in the Jedi would look to the outside. When we allow divisions to take over, turn us against each other..."

"We let the Dark Side in and the Sith win" Anakin finished what was a well-known saying to the young about allowing darker emotions to take control. "But not all the older Masters are against change. Master Yoda sounded downright thrilled when I suggested it. He even bullied Master Windu into agreeing."

"Really?"

"Yep. Whacked him with that stick too when he kept protesting aganist the party! Bam! I don't think I've ever seen Master Windu make a face like that before."

Merry laughter rang out in the gardens as two Padwans and a youngling enjoyed a peaceful moment of friendship and party planning.