Chapter 40 - Resolutions

Author's Note: A... lot of things are resolved in this chapter. There's one more and then an epilogue. I can't believe we're really almost done. It's a little sad, tbh. xP

Next chapter: November 23rd

~ Amina Gila

After checking on Anakin and making sure he'll be okay, Ahsoka hurries to find Barriss. She's still in the hangar, lingering on the side, just watching the clones moving about tending to their duties. Ahsoka sits next to her on a crate, sitting in silence for a few moments.

"I'm sorry it came to this," she says finally, quietly. She doesn't even know what to say, how to handle this. Barriss killed her master. She can't even begin to relate to that, much less understand what her friend is going through.

"I as well," Barriss replies tiredly. Her expression is neutral, blank, but Ahsoka can feel the rolling emotions under the surface. "She was my master. She was supposed to train me to be a Jedi, a peacekeeper. I don't understand how it all went so wrong and came to this."

"Me either," Ahsoka murmurs, nudging their shoulders together, trying to offer comfort. She sends a steady understanding through their bond, hoping it will help. Even if she can't say much to her, she can at least be a supportive presence while Barriss grieves. Maybe there is nothing she can say to ease this pain. Maybe all she can do is stand beside her while Barriss copes and heals. Maybe that will be enough, even if it doesn't feel like it, even if she still feels helpless, as if she should be doing something to help.

Barriss has never been one to talk about her emotions much, anyway.

"If you ever want to talk, I'm here," Ahsoka offers, because she needs to at least do that much.

Her friend nods. "Thank you, Ahsoka."

They sit in silence for many minutes, watching the clones move about, lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Ahsoka breaks it. "What are you going to do now?"

Barriss sighs heavily, slumping. "I can't go back to the Order after what I did, even if they would let me. I… don't know yet."

"I understand," Ahsoka assures, "You don't have to be a Jedi to help people. Look at us. If you want to help, then I know the Emperor will have a place for you."

It's those words which make Barriss sit up a little, turning to her. "Tell him thank you," she answers. "I know he's Anakin, but I don't really understand how."

"It's… complicated," Ahsoka tells her, shaking her head, "He's from the future, a future, but you'll have to talk to him if you want to know any more."

"That's okay," Barriss assures. "I know it's not your place to tell me." She hesitates, before leaning a little closer. "You're a good friend, Ahsoka. Thank you for helping me."

**w**

"What happened?" Anakin asks in an effort to divert the conversation to something a little less personal but just as important. He's tired and in pain, and he's trying to hide it. Discussing emotional topics is the last thing he wants right now. Besides, as the heir to the throne, he thinks it's his responsibility to be aware of everything that transpired in the battle.

"We have eliminated or subdued all the criminal factions which attended the meeting," Vader informs him.

Padme is sitting in a chair at his bedside, still holding his hand in hers, and it's nice, comforting. He's missed being around her and knowing that they don't have to hide anymore is more relieving than he could have anticipated. Obi-Wan is hovering behind her, arms crossed, obviously a little uncomfortable at being here. Probably, he just feels out of place, understandably after everything which has happened.

"And the Jedi?" Anakin queries.

"Windu, Mundi, and several other ringleaders were arrested," Vader answers, "Other conspirators escaped, but some of their allies, including Barriss, have sided with the Empire, and I will be questioning them as to the whereabouts of the traitors."

Obi-Wan clears his throat. "What is your plan for the Jedi you have arrested?"

Vader is quiet for a long few minutes, his respirator cycling rhythmically. "I do not know." He sounds tired even with the vocoder, troubled, uncertain, and Anakin squeezes his hand.

"We'll figure it out," he promises. "We have time."

"Yes," comes the reply. A pause, and then, "It is fortunate, for the Jedi's sake, that neither you nor I sustained… permanent incapacitation. I heard from Cody that he and the clones made a private pact with each other that if something happened to us, they would enact Order 66 of their own and storm the Temple."

Anakin isn't surprised, and he feels a certain swell of deep gratitude and affection. Of course, they would. "They are Mandalorian," he says dryly, "And they are fiercely protective and loyal. I wouldn't be surprised if they would have burned the Temple itself to the ground."

Obi-Wan inhales. "You have no issue with this?" he demands, a hint of betrayal in his voice. "The Temple was your home."

"It was," Anakin agrees, "And I cannot say I would condone it necessarily, but I can understand it. We have given the clones more than the Jedi or Republic ever have. They would defend us with their very lives, and they will avenge us if we die. That is what it means to have family, Master." It's the way it was on Tatooine, too. Slaves, perhaps, did not have the same luxury as those who were freed, but the tight-knit bonds of family were still very true there. It comforts him in a way he can't even explain.

"You're different," the Jedi Master states finally, quietly.

"Is that a bad thing?" Anakin queries with a wry smile. "I feel more like myself now."

"I don't think it's a bad thing," Padme volunteers, "And I might not condone the destruction of the Jedi, but if they killed you…" Her voice trails off, and her eyes harden in a way that lets Anakin know she would never forgive them for it; she might even support the clones' efforts.

Something flashes through Obi-Wan's eyes, but it's there and gone too fast for Anakin to read.

"Many clones were injured or killed in the battle," Vader says, breaking the tenseness. "Some of them fell at the hands of the traitors."

Anakin closes his eyes, a wave of grief rising up. "Anyone we know?"

"Yes, some," the elder answers. "I spoke to Rex. We were invited to the memorial ceremony, just us and Ahsoka. It will occur after we return to Coruscant."

Anakin is touched, despite himself. The clones have always been very private about those things, never, or rarely, letting outsiders come to their memorial ceremonies for their fallen brothers. He's never been to one personally, though he knows of them. Ahsoka's never been there, either. He doesn't know that any Jedi ever has. That the clones are inviting them demonstrates that they're truly family now, and he couldn't have asked for a better family.

"Whatever happened to Maul?" questions Obi-Wan, faux casual.

"I killed him," Vader answers, a vicious satisfaction coloring the Force around him. "He won't be coming back."

"Good," Obi-Wan replies, just as darkly, and Anakin's eyebrows furrow as he tries to make sense of Vader's tone. Obi-Wan, he can understand – Obi-Wan has always been prone to violent outbursts whenever Maul comes up – but Vader… The elder gave a hint of that when they were on Nal Hutta, too.

"What happened with Maul?" Anakin wants to know. "In the future? You're so… angry. Hurt."

Vader's free hand clenches into a fist, a violent rage flaring, mingled with a helpless grief and yearning. "Maul took over Mandalore," he explains, "And Ahsoka – she went there to confront him with Rex and the boys. It was at the end of the war. She captured him successfully, and they were enroute to Coruscant when Order 66 went out. When I… recovered, I asked about them. The Star Destroyer was tracked to a barren moon where it had crashed. I went there, and… all that was left was a handful of graves Ahsoka must have dug. Maul did it. There is no other explanation."

The Force flickers with raw pain, and there's a staticky sound, a choked sob Anakin thinks. "There were so few graves. So few. Even Rex…" Vader trails off, shaking his helmet slightly. "She must not have been able to identify the body."

Anakin sucks in a breath, closing his eyes as he catches the flicker through their bond, the rows of neatly laid graves, each marked with a helmet, and he makes a strangled sound before he can stop himself. "Oh Force," he breathes. He reaches toward Vader through the Force, tangling their signatures together as tightly as he can in lieu of a hug since he can't do it physically right now.

Rex has always been so important to him, and he can't – he can't imagine losing him. Instinctively, he reaches into the Force, toward Rex, just to make sure he's okay. He always knew that he could lose his boys, any of them at any minute, but that never made him cherish them any less. It never made him any less protective. It never made him try any less hard to keep them alive.

"They're okay," Vader promises fiercely. "I will not let anything happen to them."

Obi-Wan moves closer, stepping around Padme, reaching out to clasp Anakin's shoulder. "You should get some rest," he says, and there's a definite note of concern in his voice. His hand is warm and comforting, and Anakin leans into it, despite himself. "I'll check in with the Council and let them know what has transpired." He glances toward Vader. "I'll let you know what they say – I'm sure you will monitor the call anyway."

Vader inclines his helmet. "I will instruct Rex to let you use one of the communications rooms."

"I appreciate it, Anakin," he answers, pulling back and leaving the room. Padme leaves shortly thereafter when Vader asks to speak to Anakin alone.

"What's wrong?" Anakin asks, frowning – he can sense Vader's turbulent emotions.

"It's not – nothing's wrong," he assures. "It is just… The Zygerrian Queen was one of the ones who died – I heard Padme killed her." He hesitates, almost uncertain. "I… went to Zygerria during the war. It was far from pleasant."

Somehow, Anakin doesn't think he wants to know what that means. "Are you alright?" Because that's what matters most.

"I am. It merely evoked bad memories." He hesitates again. "I suppose I find it satisfying that Padme killed her, after what she did to me." There's an audible, thinly veiled bitterness, and Anakin's blood runs cold.

"Did she…?" He doesn't know how to even ask such a thing.

"She hurt me," Vader replies bluntly, "And it affected me for a long time. I was unsure how Padme would react if I told her, so we never spoke of it. I am glad that you have been spared that experience."

Anakin squeezes his hand. He doesn't know what else to say, what else he even can say.

**w**

He stays in the medbay for hours. Even though he's been patched up, Kix told him to rest and take it easy, to not exert himself while his body heals. At first, he was alright with it, but after a few hours, he's beginning to go crazy with being stuck, unable to move about and check on anyone. When he finds out that Omega is also in the medbay, still unconscious from helping keep him stable with the Force, he demands to be transferred to her room.

Vader agrees to have him transferred so long as he, at the very least, stays seated.

The Bad Batch are in Omega's room, staying at her bedside. Echo and Fives are there, too, and finally, with them to talk to, Anakin feels less driven to get up and do something. He's there for many more hours, long enough for Padme, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka to come in and check on him again, long enough for the Star Destroyer to make the jump to hyperspace, leaving Nal Hutta and heading back to Coruscant.

Omega finally stirs, beginning to awaken. "D-dad?" she mumbles, half out of it.

Anakin feels his heart flip with some unnamed emotion, and he leans forward, hissing when pain spears through his side, taking her hand. "I'm here," he answers immediately. "I'm okay, Omega, thanks to you."

"You're healing, you mean," Echo corrects grumpily as Fives grabs Anakin's shoulders, pulling him back and pushing him against the bed. He rolls his eyes, though he feels a certain fondness at their open protectiveness and concern.

Hunter moves to take Omega's other side, touching her shoulder. "How do you feel?"

She blinks. "Tired," she murmurs sleepily.

"You exerted yourself immensely," Anakin explains. "That is to be expected."

Tech steps forward, scanning her. "Physically, you are alright, but you should rest."

Wrecker pushes past Tech, dropping a tooka doll next to her and patting her head, tucking her in a little more snuggly. "We're gonna stay riiiight here with ya!" he promises.

Omega grins up at him, giggling. "'kay." She snuggles back against the bed, turning her head to look at Anakin, as if making sure he's still there.

Anakin glances at Echo and Fives before carefully leveraging himself to a sitting position, ignoring the pain. "I'm here," he vows as she drifts back off into an actual sleep. "I'm staying."

"I thought your instructions were to rest," Crosshair drawls.

"I'm resting," Anakin snips back, "I'm not on my feet."

"Normally," Tech announces, "Resting occurs by laying in a horizonal position."

"I'm fine," he insists stubbornly. He's not, but they don't need to know that. Pain meds don't work on him, anyway. He can cope with the pain.

The door slides open at that moment, and Anakin looks up to see Rex entering. The captain's eyes immediately narrow on him. "You're supposed to be resting, General."

Crosshair cackles. Anakin flicks the Force at him, pushing him sideways, nearly knocking him off his precarious perch, half on a chair, half on a table. He yelps, and Hunter shoots a hand out, steadying him. Fives snorts.

"I am resting."

"I came to check on you," Rex states. "We'll be getting to Coruscant in a few hours." He's worried about him, and Anakin can't say how touched he is by that. Deciding to take a page from the Batch's book, he disregards orders and pushes to his feet, biting his lip so he doesn't outwardly react to the wave of pain that hits him. Vader deals with worse on a regular basis. He'll be fine.

Echo and Tech make identical sounds of protest, reaching toward him. Clones can be the worst babysitters. He's an adult. He doesn't need a babysitter. He ducks around their hands, moving to Rex, who looks to be about two seconds from vehemently protesting Anakin's "reckless endangerment of his health".

"I'll be okay," Anakin tells him. "Thanks to Omega and Obi-Wan."

"I'm glad to hear it, Anakin," Rex replies.

Anakin stares at him for a moment, a tangle of emotion rising inside of him when he remembers what Vader said earlier about how he lost his Rex, before he reaches out, pulling him into a hug. Rex makes a startled noise, but he huffs out an amused breath, fondness and warmth echoing into the Force as he returns the embrace.

"What's got you in this kind of mood?" he questions.

"Anakin said… He said Maul killed most of his boys," Anakin admits, and quieter, "I can't imagine losing you."

Rex hugs him a little tighter. "You won't," he says fiercely.

"Yeah, we're staying right here with you," Fives vows, crowding in to hug Anakin, too, before dragging Echo in to join them.

It only takes a second before Wrecker cheers. "Group hug!" And the next thing Anakin knows, he's being squished in the center of a group hug by every clone in the room except Omega, who is sleeping.

He can't keep the soft smile off his face, can't stop the whisper of, "I love you; you're my vode, my aliit," no matter how hard he tries.

This is what it means to have a family.

**w**

"You came," Padme says, smiling up at him when he enters her apartment.

After returning to Coruscant and attending the memorial ceremony for the clones who fell – there would have been many more if not for the Jedi who helped them – Anakin spent some more time in the medbay getting checked out. He's still injured, and it'll take time for the wound to heal, but Kix reluctantly agreed that he can at least walk around so long as he takes it easy.

And when Padme invited him to come to dinner with her, he agreed. Maybe this is exactly what he needs. He's missed her so much, and now that he knows they can trust her, now that she knows the truth, there's nothing keeping them apart.

It's been months since they've been together, since they've acted like a husband and wife or been intimate in any way at all, even a simple hug, but he hopes that can change. He loves her. They're married. He wants them to have a relationship, wants them to start a family together, wants them to have children. He wants it all with her.

"Of course, I came," he answers, reaching out and laying his hands on her shoulders. "I've missed you, Padme, so much."

"And I've missed you," she murmurs, eyes bright and hopeful. Cautiously optimistic.

Maybe this is how things can finally heal.

**w**

Padme can't quite look away from Anakin all throughout dinner. They talk and laugh and catch up, sharing their thoughts about the recent goings on, speculating about what will happen now with the Jedi Order and what Vader's decision will be. Even Anakin doesn't know what the Emperor will decide.

But whatever it is, Padme will support him. She trusts him to make the right decision. Maybe a part of that is because he's Anakin, but even before she knew that, she had begun to trust him, respect him. That's only deepened and grown. She wants to talk to him, to understand him, but at the same time, she wants to keep a little distance from him. It's… uncomfortable. He's Anakin, but he's not her Anakin. It's a little weird if she's being honest, knowing that he knows her as well as Anakin does, if not better. It's easier not to think about.

"Have you thought about publicizing our marriage?" Anakin asks curiously after dinner, after they've settled onto a couch in the living room. He's watching the fountain, expression far more open and peaceful than Padme's seen in a long time. He's content here, and she's so grateful to see it. Knowing that he's comfortable around her again means more than she can ever say.

She hums, contemplatively. "No, I've not thought about it, but I'm not opposed to it. Is that what you want?"

He hesitates. "Yes, but maybe not yet. Once this dies down, we can talk about it again."

"Okay," she agrees immediately. Before, she hadn't wanted to publicize their marriage. She'd wanted to keep it a secret, but after everything that's happened, she doesn't want that anymore. She doesn't want to keep hiding. She wants to be able to claim Anakin as her husband in public, no matter how much heat it'll get her. Reaching out, she links their hands together, scooting closer so they're touching. "I love you, Ani," she says impulsively. She hasn't said it in so long, too long.

He looks surprised, but his face softens into something gentle, a look of adoration in his eyes. "And I love you," he promises.

Padme doesn't know who leans in first, but then, they're kissing. There's a promise in it, a reaffirmation of their bond. She doesn't know what will happen now, but whatever it is, they'll face it together.

Final Notes: Reviews are always appreciated! ^-^

Come hang out on Discord (delete spaces), discord . gg / nqSxuz2 or find us on tumblr at fanfictasia (our more serious blog which does have controversial posts on it; I won't be offended if you choose to block it, promise), and disastertriowriting (which is our fun blog with crack posts or incorrect SW quotes)

We've got a YT channel for tributes! (delete the spaces) youtube channel / UC_g1M5rSCxJUzQCRS29B6pA

ALSO: We have SW gift request forms for General, Anakin-Clones-centric, and Bad Batch fics. :D (delete spaces) bit . ly / CourtesyTrefflinFicRequests