Finally. Ahsoka was about ready to strangle someone. Probably her Master. For the past few days, she had been caught between a rock and a hard place. Master Anakin had all but forced her to stay behind while he and Master Obi-Wan went off to save the Chancellor and Senator Amidala. She'd immediately gone to the 501st, and with them the 212th.

Unfortunately, Cody and Rex hadn't been willing to just take off and search for their two Jedi Generals. For one thing, they hadn't told Ahsoka where they were going.

And then Master Windu had found the three of them. He'd been (quietly, because Jedi were serene) absolutely furious, and even more furious when he learned that no one knew where Anakin and Obi-Wan had gone.

He'd at least not taken it out on anyone else, but Ahsoka was worried about how he'd react to her master when he returned. And now the small shuttle Master Obi-Wan had… requisitioned was returning. She could feel her master on board, and Master Obi-Wan, and Senator Amidala, but not the Chancellor.

Ahsoka was afraid to learn what that meant, even if she already knew, deep inside. Chancellor Palpatine was dead.

Ahsoka hadn't liked the man, but her master had, and she knew that Anakin would see this as a failure. She resolved to be there for her master, as much as possible.

She saw someone arrive and turned to look. Master Windu was staring at the shuttle with a strange look in his eyes.

"They did it," he said as they landed. Suddenly, the strange look was gone.

As the ramp dropped, he strode up to the ship and waited. Senator Amidala, looking a bit worn, was the first off, flanked by Anakin and Obi-Wan. "Master Windu," Padmé said quietly. "Thank you for sending Master Kenobi and Knight Skywalker after us," she said. "I regret that… they were unable to save the Chancellor. But the Sith Lord, Sidious, is dead."

Ahsoka's eyes widened. That was good news. The Sith were dead!

Anakin's gaze found hers. "Perhaps we should take this to the Council chambers," he said. "We have things to report, Master Windu."

Ahsoka just knew she wasn't going to be included in that report.

Still, she could hope, so she followed them up to the Council chambers. To her surprise, Master Obi-Wan eyed her for a moment and then glanced at Master Anakin.

Master Anakin sighed and nodded. "Come on, Snips," he said.

Master Windu didn't say anything as they all entered the chamber.

Ahsoka took her position just behind Master Anakin, and waited.

Once the Council was assembled, Master Obi-Wan began to talk. Ahsoka listened, eyes getting wider at practically every word. How could Palpatine have been a Sith Lord? Then, suddenly, she realized something. Her master, and his master were hiding something. Not… not a bad thing, no. And the only reason she knew was because she shared a bond with her master.

She didn't say anything. If it was important for her master to keep it from the Council, she wasn't going to go against his judgment- not until she had more facts, anyway.

She stayed silent as Master Obi-Wan detailed the whole thing, as he explained that Anakin had had a vision and he'd recognized where they'd needed to go- that old Sith Temple- and how they'd taken the fast shuttle, so they had only been a little bit behind the Sith Lord. Most of the Council didn't look pleased, but none of them said anything.

The whole thing was a little off, but Ahsoka knew no one else on the Council had noticed. Finally, Master Anakin and Senator Amidala were released, and Ahsoka with them. Master Obi-Wan stayed behind for a proper Council meeting.

Ahsoka and Anakin escorted the Senator to her apartment, and it was only once they were there that Ahsoka turned to Anakin. "What didn't you tell the Council, Master?" she asked.

Anakin smiled ruefully. "You know me too well already, little one," he said. "It's about Palpatine's death," he said.

"I was the one to kill Palpatine, not Anakin or Obi-Wan," Padmé said. "I shot him when he was distracted, threatening Obi-Wan.

Ahsoka's eyes went wide. "But… if you kill and Sith Lord and then…"

Anakin nodded. "Padmé is completely untrained in the Force, but she's just strong enough that she's a Sith Lady."

Ahsoka sat down hard. "And…"

"I don't trust the Council," Anakin said. "They don't need to know, because Padmé isn't interested in taking over the galaxy." He sat down next to her.

Ahsoka frowned down at the floor. She didn't quite understand why her master didn't like the Council, though this was hardly the first time she'd seen the attitude, but…

"Okay," she said. "I won't tell anyone."

Anakin sighed in relief.

"If you tell me how you really knew where to go," Ahsoka continued.

Anakin blinked at her. Padmé laughed. "Oh, you do know Anakin well," she said.

She glanced at Anakin and leaned forward slowly to kiss him on the cheek. "Ahsoka, Anakin and I have a bond through the Force. It's not like the bond he has with Obi-Wan, or even you. But it's there."

Ahsoka was silent for a long moment before… "MASTER!" she screeched.

Anakin winced. "Yes, Padawan?"

"How… when… What…" she couldn't even finish her sentence.

"How? I love Padmé," Anakin said. "When? We got married shortly after the battle of Geonosis. As for what, I think I just explained that."

"Married?" Ahsoka asked. It… she tilted her head. "Master Obi-Wan knows, doesn't he?"

Anakin nodded. "He's agreed to let me tell the rest of the Council on my own time."

Well… if Master Obi-Wan was fine with it. "You are going to tell them?"

"We had originally planned to wait until Anakin was knighted before he told anyone and left the order, but the war pushed that back," Padmé said. "He wanted to honor Master Jinn and his mother by being knighted first.

"The war will be over soon," Ahsoka whispered. "Without the Sith controlling everything, it'll stop."

"Yes, but I won't leave the order until you, Padawan mine, are Knighted."

Padmé smiled. "And I agree with that," she said. "We discussed this a while ago, Ahsoka. You need him, and that's important."

"But… I don't…"

"You're not a burden, Snips," Anakin said as he took her hand. "You're my Padawan, and I'm going to do everything I can to see you become a great Jedi Knight. That's more important to me than my own desires to leave the Jedi Order." He hesitated for a moment. "But that's only if you want me as your Master, still. I won't force you to stay with me if you don't want to. Obi-Wan and I talked on the way back, and we're probably going to be working on a lot of Sith Objects, since it seems it's safer for us to do so. I don't want to expose you to them, but we might have no choice."

"Master, I don't want to leave you," Ahsoka said.

Anakin smiled. "Good, I'm glad," he said.

Padmé finally sighed. "The Council will be notifying the Senate soon. I expect I'll have a lot of work to do."

Anakin sighed as well. "I'll help as much as I can," he said. "Part of the mess is my fault."

"It's not your fault Palpatine was a Sith Lord."

Anakin didn't look convinced, but he nodded. "Snips, come on," he said. "We'll head back to the temple, and figure out where to go from there." He eyed her for a moment. "But no matter what, lots of shielding training, especially if we end up having to go to Sith temples and tombs."

Ahsoka sighed but nodded. At least she'd get to go.