AN: I update every Tuesday or Wednesday...I didn't say anything about it before but I did now. So I am sorry this is late. There is an excuse, but I should have had this done and out by now and I am really sorry.

Pressure.

An odd thing, Yashaka mused as she leaned against a brick wall, breathing hard. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and with a hiss she brought her hand across her forehead. But the pressure on her chest, as though someone was shoving her heel against it, would not go away. Growling again to herself - it attracted no attention, after all, everyone here was drunk - she started to turn away. Her employer, whoever he happened to be, was late. Or perhaps he was playing with her. Yashaka started to walk away, touching the holsters of her blasters more for the sake of knowing she was protected. So many she had hurt, so many who would like to taste revenge.

"Where are you going?" A voice asked her from behind. It was an odd sound, dark and sizzling, ready to pounce. Yashaka paused mid-stride, but refused to turn around and meet the eyes of whoever had spoken to her. Long ago she had learned that the mysterious air that surrounded her kept her alive.

Yet guilty. Every time she caught an innocent being, murdered a young child who had yet to live it's life, she mourned their deaths. What kind of bounty hunter was she? Most did not cry to themselves long after the sun had set and darkness surrounded them, Father, how did this happen? You raised me well, but I turned into a monster.

"You're late." She responded at long last, choosing her conversation at last. Finally, she spun on her heel to look at this man, well, he wasn't a man. A humanoid, rather, because for once, Yashaka could not name his species. He had red, round eyes, and blue skin that could attract the attention from every drunk here. Decked out in a floppy brown hat and long coat, however, concealed some of the colors.

The man frowned, "I was here before...watching. You're right for the job."

"What do you want?" The blunt approach was best in most cases, but in this one, the man just took his time. Irked, Yashaka repeated, "I mean, who do you want me to go after?" There was another long, pointless pause. Yashaka's nails clicked on the ends of her blasters as if to pass a mental message that she would indeed kill him ruthlessly. The man laughed at her, his laugh odder than his voice.

"A young Togruta girl. A Jedi. You and I will work together on this case." A Togruta? A Jedi, at that? She knew one little Togruta female, and believed her to be Jedi. Because what that girl didn't know was that Yashaka had the Force, and that she could feel the girl's blinding presence.

Before she responded, Yashaka measured her words carefully before speaking to the man once more. He was so...irritating. This bounty hunter acted as if they had met before, which Yashaka knew they hadn't. She had memorized all the beings "You act as if I have worked with you before."

That brought out that odd laugh again. Yashaka shuddered, hoping he didn't notice. If he did, he chose not to comment, "That's because you act like most bounty hunters I've come across. Your guard's up, you're afraid."

Indignant, Yashaka drew herself up, making sure to glare at him hard, "I'm not like most bounty hunters!" I feel guilty. That's a difference. With another painful sigh, Yashaka sniped, "Well, I don't even know who you think you are, but you're like most jerks I've come across."

"Look, do you want this job?"

"Yes. And I know who you're talking about. I can get the girl easily. But I've to talk to my father first." Yashaka responded, "And I'll go get the girl, but I won't bring her to you if you don't tell me your name and you stop thinking I'm your typical bounty hunter. Because it's obvious you are, so stop talking bad about me." With that spoken, Yashaka retreated back into her shell of uncertainty.

"Cad Bane. And yours?"

A long hiss rose out of Yashaka's throat, pride filling her being, "Yashaka." And so she spun on her toes, fancily moving away as if to show off, as if to say that she was better than that. But it took a lot more to impress Bane, which she had gathered.

"Wait!" Bane called out. The Force wrapped itself around Yashaka at her own doing, for who knew how this man planned to execute her. Bane would. They all had, all her 'friends', the ones that promised eternal trust and goodness. All Yashaka had got was misgiving.

"What?"

"What does your father know about her anyway? I've met up with some times, too. Her skills are...minimal." Overestimating, Yashaka could sing out. The teen looked like a formidable opponent, but that was indeed her opinion.

Yashaka didn't respond to Bane's curiosity. He probably wanted to find Jenx himself and tear him open for Yashaka's prize. She didn't look back as she ran into the night, even ignoring the question of who hired Bane. Well, did it matter with that kind of prize?

Daddy, I am so, so sorry. I never meant to hurt you, I promise. I just meant to bring in some credits, get us on our feet. I never meant to steal your friends, to bring you to your knees. Don't be too angry, Daddy. I can explain. In the endless tirade of hurt and being knocked to her own knees, Yashaka would continue to fight, though. She had walked into her destiny, laced with darkness and agony, never to emerge.

Inside, though, there was the flame of satisfaction and pride. The flame that constantly reminded her of why she got into all of this trouble. Stang, she was good.

What either of them didn't count on was that the young Togrutan warrior was much more then the child Bane had faced some time before. The girl had grown in talent and in wisdom, rooting all back to her Jedi skills.

"She's pregnant." The words were dim, echoing with the desolate feeling that nearly had Ahsoka in agony. As it was, she had already shredded several sheets of flimsi, much to Jenx's own dismay. After all, he repeatedly told her, flimsi costs credits. Tearing at the corner of the sheet, Ahsoka concentrated all her energy on it. Still, another tide of an unidentified feeling splashed back over her once more. "He's married." Not that Anakin had told her that, but Ahsoka knew. And it hurt to know.

Jealous. Could she possibly be jealous over Padme and Anakin's unborn baby? Jealousy was not to be felt by a Jedi, yet it pounced on her yet again. With a fiery hiss, Ahsoka tore the flimsi with vengeance. When she did so, the flimsi was removed from her hands by a concerned-looking Jenx, "That's not appropriate." He cautioned gently.

"I know, I know." Ahsoka sang out, "Practically everything I do is not appropriate, but look at my master! They tell me I'm not a good enough Jedi!" Ahsoka's hand snaked out, reaching for her red gloves that lay limp on the table. White stripes marked her wrists that most did not see because they were concealed by the gloves.

Jenx ripped the gloves away, "You are not shredding these." There was humor in those bright green eyes that showed that he understood how Ahsoka was feeling, and it was alright, for now, at least. Suddenly reassuring, Jenx's eyes met hers and he said softly, "I'm sorry, Ahsoka, that you found out like this. How did you find out - did he tell you?"

Ahsoka stuck her lower lip out slightly, feeling like a temperamental Youngling. "I wish. Then I might feel like it wasn't crushing me. I was walking down the hall to see Padme - my master's wife - and then...then they were just there. He told me not to run, but I did. Right into Obi-Wan. He wasn't very pleased." Ahsoka gave a short laugh, thinking of the horrified man's expression, "And then I ran off again, but that time it was to see Padme. I'm not mad at her."

Jenx nodded, "That's good. Ahsoka-."

Ahsoka didn't want sympathy. She just wanted to soothe her anger, sleep, and hope it was just a terrible dream that she would come out of in the morning. With a trembling sigh, she gazed back up at Jenx, "What if he's kicked out, Jenx? I don't know what'll happen to me...nobody wanted to train a smart-alecky little Togruta...why would they want to now?"

Jenx's hand, smooth and soft, slipped around hers, "For what it's worth, I would." And then it felt all right, as if Ahsoka would be okay, she'd find away to still remain somebody her master wanted to be with. Still, the ever present fear made itself known, and the want to not be knocked down further on her master's list, yet Ahsoka pushed away from it, submerging in the light. Je Nodding softly to herself, Ahsoka met Jenx's eye.

"Je-" Ahsoka trailed off, fingers brushing her lightsabers. Another plummeting feeling in the Force, someone coming fast and eager. They wanted her, they wanted to take her away, Ahsoka could feel it. "Nx." She finished, breathing slowing down so the predator would not hear her. While Ahsoka was the predator, she did play the role as prey in her ancestory, so she reacted the correct way in those situations, also.

Danger was approaching swiftly. It didn't take much for her lightsabers to come to her hands, poised for assault. No one intruded her yet, but Ahsoka could feel it. Jenx clambered to his feet also, swiftly removing a lightsaber from the inside of his tunic. "I feel it."

Ahsoka bit her tongue, swallowing the harsh words that rose to her mouth in the face of danger. Instead, she just nodded, "Do you know what it is?"

Jenx was silent, his body rigid. He did know, but he didn't want it to be true...Ahsoka could feel it, "Jenx?" She reiterated, touching his arm. He straightened, tightening the grip around his lightsaber.

"I suppose I do." The words were painfully dry, and it took Ahsoka all her strength to just wait and hear him out, "My...my..."

He didn't finish, because a vicious looking figure came out of the darkness suddenly, crisscrossing rows of blaster fire surrounding her. Pride illuminated her pale green eyes as she cried out, "Gotcha, little girl!"

But she didn't. Ahsoka leaped into the air, somersaulting as she went. Landing slightly behind Yashaka - Ahsoka could see the woman clearly enough to identify her, but she didn't have time to be surprised. "Why?" Ahsoka gasped as Yashaka turned, one hand on her belt, dangling a blaster. The other was aimed at Ahsoka.

Ahsoka's lightsaber parried desperately. She didn't want to harm Jenx's daughter. There was no way he'd ever forgive her for that. But Ahsoka couldn't fall dead to Yashaka, either, "Merciless traitor." She murmured, more for herself.

Angrier than ever, Yashaka hissed, "Well, kid. You don't know a thing about me, or my father. What we went through. Watching my mother die. Do you think I could just stand around and do nothing? You are so blind to the real world. You don't realize anything that's true, do you? You just accuse me...look what you did to my father, and he befriends you! You and your perfect Jedi world!"

For some reason, that struck a nerve in Ahsoka. She lowered her 'saber slightly, lips parted. Yashaka wasn't shooting, however. Tears ran in streams off of her cheeks as she gazed down at Ahsoka, and it didn't take long for the girl to realize that Yashaka did regret what she had done. It hurt her to put her father through this now. Ahsoka scrambled to her the bait, wanting to tell her that she didn't have to go on like this.

"You don't have to-"

"I do, Fool! You don't get it, do you?" The blasters were aimed directly at Ahsoka, wh gazed at them placidly.

"I didn't try to kill your mother - and I'm sorry about what happened to you and Jenx."

"I don't care!" The blaster shot rang out, but embedded itself harmlessly in a wall, because Jenx had thrown her to the ground. The two blasters clattered away from Yashaka's reach, and she focused on her father without fear, "Kill me. I dare you."

"I won't do that. Just get out of here. I never want to see your face again!" Jenx roared, his face red with fury. Ahsoka moved away from the two, watching Yashaka scramble to her feet and leave, pulling her blasters to her with the Force.

The fight that was so short was over, and Ahsoka was relieved. She trotted over to Jenx, who glared down at her warily, "Don't be afraid of me. I just kicked her out for you and now you're sitting here like I'm gonna eat you."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes, "Yeah, you do look kind of hungry."

"Listen, Ahsoka. She'll be back, I know she will. I need you to leave and not come here for awhile. Only when you really need to. I have to keep you safe, because I know your master. He'll have my head if I keep letting you come so you can get killed."

"But Yashaka...she won't hurt you, and I can fight."

"Ahsoka. I want you to leave. Now."

And so the girl did, eyes bright with anger and hurt and just wanting to stay with her friend, "Fine, but I'll be back."

"Don't you dare disobey me..." But Ahsoka was too far away for her to hear, and if she did, she didn't give any inclination that she had.

She hates you now, you know. I mean, look at the way she ran to Padme. Look at the way she cried out in her sleep; all that she knows is the pain you're throwing upon her shoulders. Anakin was willing the voice in his head to shut up, but the harder he tried to block it, the louder it seemed to chant. Finally, he moaned out loud, "I'm tired, Padme's dying, and I'm losing Ahsoka. What now?"

Dreams, dreams so intensely horrible, had come to him, forewarning him of the loss. Padme, beautiful Padme, dead. And now...now he was losing Ahsoka, too. To her own surge of emotions that Anakin hadn't bothered to place. He didn't really want to find hate, hate, anger, hurt, betrayal, and the list went on. Though thinking that Ahsoka could really hate him that deeply didn't seem too accurate, in his stress, too many things were weighing down on him.

Then she was there. Her eyes welled with tears when she saw him gazing at her. "Oh, Snips." He murmured to himself, but loud enough so that she could hear. "Come here." Ahsoka turned away for half a second, but then she came closer.

"You must hate me." She whispered. Her words surprised Anakin, and it took him a moment to get the breath to ask her why, and when he did, she asked, "My emotions are so obvious because I can't control them...why don't you know? I'm jealous, and I've just..." She nearly told Anakin about Jenx and his daughter's betrayal, but she decided against it. Anakin would not be pleased about her ventures into Lower Coruscant. As it was, she hadn't wanted him to know of her jealousy.

"Of Padme? You want..." Anakin couldn't believe that she loved him, did she? Stunned until he saw Ahsoka's shoulders shaking with laughter, her nose pinched with disgust, "No! Not that way! I mean, never mind, master. You're driving me crazy."

With a spin on her heel, Ahsoka shot him another glance that meant that he was so ridiculous. Anakin wanted to laugh, but he couldn't. Padme...Padme...dead...I can't do this. I can't let her go.

"Master?" Ahsoka asked, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, Snips. Fine. Listen, I've got to go. You stay here. Alright?"

"Like I've got anywhere else to go with -." She trailed off, like she had nearly betrayed a secret. Normally, Anakin would have interrogated her, but he had to see the Chancellor. He couldn't let her know of his own stress.

"Wait, Master - " He heard Ahsoka's call from behind. She sounded thin, and even though they had just been joking and playing around with each other, Anakin could tell that Ahsoka was none too pleased with him. Or with herself. Or with someone else, but he had no idea of who. So Anakin ignored her, just like he wanted to ignore that dream of Padme, his wife. Just like he wanted Ahsoka not to know of his marriage.

She ran up beside him, grabbing his arm, "Skyguy, loosen up. And wait up. When'll you be back, because I think...I think you need to explain something to me." Ahsoka made it sound like she was talking about an assignment, but she knew that there was something that was hurting him.

"Do you really need to know everything?" Anakin asked, irritated. He was so beside himself that he just let go of the words. They came out so easily, and left her staring at him with a hurt-puppy look in her eyes.

She didn't quit, though, "That's just proof!"

And Anakin couldn't take it anymore. He left, storming off and leaving her behind.