A/N: I hope everyone's having a good holiday season. Thanks to ShyMaryButterfly, QueenNaberrie, Brooklynturtle, dault3883, Nostalgic-Reegar, and madscientistproduction.01 for reviewing. You guys are awesome!
Chapter Twenty
I Promise
Ahsoka sat by Siri's side. It was a decent sized starship and there were many places she could go to avoid the tension she could feel in the air at the current moment. But a Jedi never ran from their troubles. And she certainly wouldn't abandon a friend.
She looked over at Obi-Wan who was sitting diagonal from them on the cockpit floor, his back against the pilot's seat.
"Are we leaving?"
Obi-Wan's downcast eyes flashed to hers.
"What do you mean?"
"Are we going back to Coruscant? This whole mission has been such a mess. I just don't know what else we can do here, you know?"
"I want to. Believe me. But I can't do that. It's my duty to stay here and fight. A Jedi must always do their duty."
"We've tried to help. I just don't see a happy ending to all this."
"There are rarely ever happy endings in real life, Ahsoka."
"Do you really believe that?"
"Sometimes. It's hard to believe in the contrary. Especially in moments like this."
"There are good things in life too. And someone once told me that there are always happy endings in life. If it's not happy, then it's not the end."
Obi-Wan smiled weakly. "You are wise beyond your years, Padawan. We should always focus on the positive. Especially as Jedi."
Obi-Wan took out his com-link. There was an incoming message.
"General Kenobi, this is Commander Cody. We're approaching your starship."
"I'll be out momentarily, Cody."
He was at his feet at once, walking quickly off the ship.
Ahsoka looked over at Siri, whose eyes were shut in pain. She was clutching at her blaster wound.
"You okay?" She asked in a small, gentle voice.
Siri opened her eyes gingerly. "I'm holding up, thanks."
A medic was suddenly there to assist them.
Ahsoka stood and walked away, leaving room for the med team to attend to Siri.
She saw Obi-Wan. "Looks like Siri's going to be okay."
"I don't know why I ever doubted she would be. She's one of the strongest people I know."
"I was just worried. I…There was a woman a long time ago. A freedom fighter and revolutionary."
"She was my friend. And one day, during battle she was shot by someone with a blaster. And she died. I just, today brought back some painful memories."
"But everything's all good now. We're in good hands." Ahsoka replied.
"It's just difficult sometimes. But I have to do this. For the slaves." He looked wistful.
"For Anakin. This cause is very dear to his heart."
"Because he was a slave." Ahsoka replied.
"I think you should contact him. It sounds like you miss him."
"I spent ten years around him constantly. It's strange not to have him around as much anymore."
"Talk to him. I'll go and check on Siri. We're probably going back to fight soon, I don't know when you'll get a chance again."
"I will."
He smiled and Ahsoka smiled back.
Padmé walked into the living room after cleaning the last of the lunch dishes. The twins were sitting contentedly on Anakin's lap watching children's holo-movies.
Leia pointed to the screen, making incoherent noises, her own made up words.
Anakin smiled, "You wanna play with the little ewok?"
Padmé raised her brows. "Looks are deceiving. I've heard they're violent little monsters."
Anakin laughed. "But they look so fluffy and adorable."
"You looked pretty adorable too when I first met you on Tatooine.
"What, are you saying you don't think I'm cute anymore?"
She smirked. "Perhaps."
He pouted like a child and turned his attention back to Leia.
Padmé sat down beside him.
After an hour Padmé put the twins to bed for their afternoon nap. She walked back to the living room.
Anakin was standing on the veranda and practicing his saber techniques.
"How did you get all the way over there?"
"Slowly." He laughed.
She watched the fierce determination in his eyes. It was a side of Anakin she loved to see and it had been sorely missed the past couple of weeks.
"It's kind of useless without a sparring partner."
"You'll get there."
She hesitated, treading carefully into the next topic.
"In the meantime, maybe you could start training me."
"Well, what else do I have to do?"
"Oh stop. You love being lazy. The past few weeks have been a vacation for you."
"What a great vacation too. Barely able to walk, so nice."
"That is not what I meant." Padmé laughed.
"I'm just teasing you."
He held his blue blade out.
"Take it."
She looked into his eyes.
"Go ahead."
She gripped it, surprised by its weight. When Anakin used it, he made it look like it was as light as a feather. Years of training, she supposed.
She waved it around a bit, marveling at the hum of the energy and the electric blue blur before her eyes. It almost looked too beautiful to be so dangerous.
"Do you have any extra lightsabers?"
"A couple, yeah. Why?"
"Maybe we should spar."
Anakin guffawed. "Absolutely not."
"Why?" She asked almost petulantly.
"Because you'll get hurt. You barely even know how to use it."
"You could start me off slow."
He was still laughing. "No."
"Oh, come on! Please?"
"No. Look, I think you've had enough practice for today."
He reached out to take the lightsaber from her.
She pulled away.
"You're acting like a child."
She ran away.
"Real mature. Especially considering you know I can't run."
She giggled.
"Seriously. Give it to me. I want you to do another exercise. Without the lightsaber."
"Oh, but that's the fun part!"
He sighed. "I didn't want to do this, but…"
He held his hand out, summoning the force and it flew from her hand into his.
"Anakin!"
He laughed. "Sweet revenge."
She walked back over to him.
"You know I could just take it back from you."
"You wouldn't even know how to turn it on."
She swatted him. "Shut your mouth."
"Make me."
"Who's acting like a child now?"
He laughed.
She raised an eyebrow. "So what do you plan on teaching me now? Unless that was just an excuse to take the lightsaber from me."
He smirked. "It wasn't."
She crossed her arms.
"I'm not lying."
She smiled. "Okay, I believe you."
"Being a Jedi isn't just waving around a lightsaber. You have to trust in the force, to communicate with it, to let it become part of you."
She grinned. "Such wisdom. She replied sarcastically.
"Padmé, I'm serious. Obi-wan thought I was a bad padawan, maybe he should train you and see how lucky he was to have me."
She slapped his shoulder playfully.
"This is just payback for all the times you've made fun of me, all the pranks."
He sighed. "I guess I deserve it then."
"I'm sorry. Just…continue with your little lecture."
He was silent for a moment.
"Close your eyes."
She shut her eyes and waited.
"In order to properly become attuned to the force, you have to let go of you ordinary senses. One of the most important being sight. You can only truly predict your opponent's next move by the energy of the force. Sight cannot completely tell you that. Your eyes only tell you what's happening at the present moment. And they tend to fool you often times. The force encompasses all, the past, the present, and the future."
He closed his eyes as well, his breaths slow. Then he raised his hands, holding them out towards Padmé.
She felt a strange sensation wash over her, calmness and yet complete awareness. Like she wasn't completely where she was, but very much there at the same time. A different dimension almost.
"You're talking to me…through the force." She said softly.
"Yes, I am. I want you to focus. I'm going to tap you on the arms. I want you to try and see which arm I choose, before I actually touch you. Block me."
She laughed. "This is going to be a sexy training exercise."
She heard him chuckle softly. "Focus, Padmé. That stuff is for later."
"Ooh, I get a prize."
"Padmé." He scolded gently.
"Okay, okay."
He raised his right hand and slowly went to touch her right forearm. She went to pull back, but by that time he was gripping her arm.
"Too slow, but you sensed correctly."
"Again."
He raised his right hand once more, and let it linger by her right arm for a moment. Then he moved it slowly over to her left arm. She turned her body away.
"Good."
"Again."
After ten minutes, with as many hits as there were misses, Padmé was beginning to tire of the lesson.
She opened her eyes and reached out to touch Anakin's face. He looked adorable when he focused intently.
He opened his eyes and gripped her wrist.
"Ani!" She whined. "No more training. I'm bored."
He smiled. "You're a terrible padawan."
"No. I think we've made some progress today."
"I suppose you're right."
She flattened her palms against his chest and looked up at him sweetly.
"Do I get my prize now?"
He cupped her face in his hands.
"Maybe."
"Please?" She asked, doe-eyed.
"Well…alright. When you ask like that."
He pressed his mouth against hers softly.
She sighed into the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck.
His hands settled on her waist and then he was embracing her completely, hands sprawled out over her back.
He parted her lips with his and she moaned softly, tongues twining.
The sun was low in the sky when they finished making love, a tangle of sheets and limbs.
Padmé looked down at him, her hair hanging down around their faces. She smiled, cheeks flushed.
Anakin traced lines up and down her back, fingertips sliding gently over her shoulder blades and down to the small of her back.
"Do you want dinner?" She asked softly.
He nodded.
She kissed his nose.
She got out of bed, putting her blue velvet robe on.
He followed, putting on his sleep pants and tunic.
They were the picture of comfort. Two sleepy lovers basking in each other's presence.
She twined her arm with his and they walked slowly to the kitchen. Anakin kissed her on the cheek.
She giggled and echoed him, pressing a gentle kiss against his cheek.
She was surprised when she felt the pressure of his mouth against hers.
She wrapped her arms around him and let herself melt into him.
He sighed into the kiss and she arched into him.
She pulled her lips away breathlessly.
"We have to eat dinner at some point. If we keep on like this we'll never make it to the kitchen."
"That's a problem?" He asked, his voice hushed.
"Yes. It is." She said unconvincingly. Her eyes were focused on his lips.
He smiled playfully, and then pressed an open mouthed kiss against her throat.
She moaned. "Ani . I'm being serious."
He spoke against her skin, his breath hot.
"So am I."
She dug her fingers into his hair. "Ani. I'm really hungry. You…wouldn't want your darling wife to suffer would you?"
"I hardly call this suffering." He kissed her collarbone.
"Please?"
He laughed softly. "We'll finish this later then."
"I'm gonna make you the best Shaak steak you've ever had." She said smiling brightly.
He chuckled. "I'm honored."
"You should be. I don't cook for anybody."
"So domestic."
"Watch yourself. I might poison your steak as punishment."
"You're insane."
"Coming from the man who has a mental breakdown at least five times a year."
"That hurt a little."
"Good. That was the intention."
"I've trained you well."
"Oh no. Don't you take credit for it. I was a witty little shrew before you came back into my life with your constant mockery."
"I guess we were made for each other, then."
She smiled. "Yes."
He smiled back and they walked towards the kitchen.
They had been a blessing. The powers bestowed upon him.
But they were also a curse. Because the future didn't hold joy alone. The future didn't hold promise alone. Not all his visions were of happy things. Most of the time, they predicted a future of pain and loss.
And as he drifted off peacefully his dreamless sleep turned into something else. Something that shattered the serenity in his mind.
If he could choose, he would dream of Padmé. He would dream of Naboo and its lush and green rolling hills. He would choose to dream of the waterfalls, the mist settling on his skin.
But he couldn't choose.
It wasn't Naboo in his dreams. There was no green grass or waterfalls.
There was instead a lack of color, dull browns and beiges. And the air was very dry.
There was sand as far as the eye could see.
He knew instantly he was dreaming of Tatooine.
There were cries of pain. He couldn't see any faces, couldn't decipher who the cries belonged to.
But he felt death, heavy and suffocating. He felt like collapsing under its weight.
He was running, he realized. He didn't feel the air rush past him or his hair ruffle. Some dreams felt very real. To the point where you didn't know they were dreams. But this dream felt very unreal. He felt very disconnected from it. He only knew he was moving forward because his surroundings changed, blurring into colorless streaks.
The cries were louder suddenly. He was getting closer to whoever it was.
And there were a pile of bodies a few feet in front of him. He stopped and walked towards them slowly.
When he looked down he saw the faces of Obi-Wan and his lover, Siri.
He could feel his eyes burn with unshed tears and he bent down to touch them.
He heard the cries again and he looked up. Just beside them was young Ahsoka. Her entire front, from her waist up to her neck was covered in blood. There was a gaping wound over her heart and she was bleeding profusely from it.
Anakin was shaking.
"Ahsoka." He said, his voice raspy.
"Master Anakin." She said sorrowfully.
He dropped to his knees and took his cape off, draping it over her and pressing it to her wound to stop the bleeding.
She cried out in pain.
"It's okay. You'll…you'll be okay."
"I tried to save them. I'm sorry I failed. I know you really…loved Obi-Wan."
"I care about you too, Ahsoka."
"That's the great thing about you, Anakin. You love so freely. You give your love to people who don't deserve it. I don't deserve it. I couldn't save your Obi-Wan."
The tears were hot on his cheeks. He could barely speak.
"No. You deserve it. You deserve to be loved."
She smiled weakly, but her large blue eyes seemed dimmer.
"Stay with me." He pleaded.
Her head titled to the right slightly and then her eyes looked very dull and distant.
Everything turned into a blinding white light, harsh and it burned his skin. And his screams were a roar in his ears, like a sandstorm and an earthquake all at once.
And then he was deaf and everything stopped.
He shot up in bed, hyperventilating. He couldn't catch his breath. He drew his knees up to his chest, pressing his hands to the sides of his head and started rocking back and forth.
Padme woke up and looked over at him worriedly.
"Ani, what's wrong?"
He looked back at her. His face was ruddy and tear streaked.
"What's wrong, love?" She touched his cheek.
"I don't want to talk about it."
"That'll only make it worse. Tell me what just happened."
"I had another nightmare. About Obi-Wan and Tatooine."
"What happened?"
"They…they died."
She cupped his face in her hands.
"Not all your dreams are visions. It's possible that it might not happen."
"But it's possible that it might."
"Oh, Ani. I'm sorry I made fun of your emotional issues. They're very justified."
"You didn't mean anything by it."
"What do you need to feel better?"
Nothing. Just…some fresh air.
"Let's go out on the veranda."
He was silent. She moved from her side of the bed and settled onto his lap, stroking his cheek.
"I love you."
He looked into her eyes sadly.
"I love you too." He said softly.
She cradled his head against her chest, running her fingers through his hair.
"You can cry if you want to."
He was very still.
"No. I'm too tired."
She kissed the crown of his head.
"Everything will be okay, Ani. I promise you."
Padmé wasn't sure if that was even true.
She prayed that it would be.
Anakin was far too fragile to handle any more heartbreak.
It seemed sometimes that it was all he ever did.