Chapter Four

Compassionate Hospitality

Ahsoka slowly opened her eyes, her vision was blurry and her head was pounding. She still felt nauseous, and so many things hurt. "Nnng. Where am I?" Ahsoka quietly asked as she looked around a little.

"You're awake, you gave me quite a scare." A man said in a kind tone as he walked over to Ahsoka.

"What happened, how did I get here?" Ahsoka asked as she looked at the man. He was a little shorter than Anakin, he had a scruffy black beard and a straw hat, he looked like some kind of farmer.

"I found you in the canyon, you were barely conscious when I found you, you passed out shortly after that." The man explained with a small smile.

"Thank you for helping me sir." Ahsoka quietly thanked as she closed here eyes. There was a light creaking sound and Ahsoka instinctively looked in the direction of the sound, she saw that the door to the room was cracked, and there were two pairs of eyes watching her.

"Andy, Nima, I told you to stay downstairs." The man said as he stared at the door.

"Sorry daddy." A girl replied before opening the door. She didn't look older than four, to Ahsoka's surprise she was a twi'lek. Her skin was a neon green color, and her lekku stretched all the way down to just above her butt.

"We just wanted to see the lady you brought home, she has pretty markings." The second child added with a shy smile. He was human, probably about the same age as the girl, he had short black hair like his father.

"I don't think this young woman is feeling very well, she needs to rest. Where's your mother?" The man asked as he stared at his children.

"Andy, Nima! You'd better not be bothering your father and that young woman!" A woman yelled from a distance away. Then Ahsoka could hear the sound of footsteps on stairs. "What did I tell you two, no bothering our guest. She needs to rest." The woman said as she looked down at her kids. She was also a twi'lek, but her skin was blue, it looked similar to Aayla Secura's skin color. Her lekku were shorter than her daughter's were, reaching only to her mid back.

"We're sorry mama, we just wanted to meet her." Nima replied as she looked up at her mom.

"It's okay ma'am, they're fine." Ahsoka said with a smile as she looked at the kids.

"If you're really okay with it. How are you feeling?" The woman asked with a smile.

"Honestly, I feel awful. Everything hurts, and I feel really sick. I'm sorry to trouble you, but may I have some water please? Like a big glass if you can?" Ahsoka asked with a small smile.

"Of course. Andy, could you grab her a big glass of water please?" The man asked as he looked at his son.

"Okay daddy." Andy replied before running off.

"May I ask your name?" The man asked with a smile as he looked at Ahsoka.

"I'm Ahsoka, Ahsoka Tano." Ahsoka introduced herself with a small smile.

"It's nice to meet you Ahsoka, my name's Al, short for Alfred. This is my wife Tann, our daughter Nima, and our son Andy." Al introduced as he gestured to his wife and daughter, then his son once he came back with Ahsoka's water.

"Thank you." Ahsoka thanked as she took the water and drank it. "You have a beautiful family sir, thank you for taking me in." Ahsoka thanked as she finished the water and set the glass down.

"It was no trouble, do remember what happened to you?" Al asked in a kind tone.

"I was kidnapped by a bounty hunter named Cad Bane, he was hired by someone from my past. I was held prisoner and she... She used to be my friend, how could she do those things to me?! She tortured me! She water boarded me, electrocuted me, beat me and broke my bones! She even shot me! How could she do those things to me?! She used to be my best friend, I thought she'd died in the crash! Barriss, how could you?!" Ahsoka shouted and cried as the memories of her captivity flooded into her brain. "Oh my God, my clothes! She took my clothes and drenched me in freezing water, then she turned the temperature of the room so far down that the water actually froze to my skin." Ahsoka cried as she clutched the blanket that was covering her.

"That's why you were naked when I found you? You poor woman, we're so sorry to hear that. Don't worry though, Tann had some pajamas to loan you, she got you dressed before putting you to bed." Al informed in a kind tone.

"Thank you so much for your hospitality, how long was I out for?" Ahsoka asked as she relaxed a little.

"About two days." Tann answered with a sad expression.

"Two days?! Oh my God, Padmé and Anakin must be worried sick about me. Bubbles and her sister's are probably checking every planet in the galaxy for me." Ahsoka groaned as she stared up at the ceiling.

"Your family?" Al asked with a sad expression.

"Yeah, I really miss them." Ahsoka replied with a sad expression of her own.

"I'm sure that you'll see them again soon, we'd call them, but we don't have a long range transmitter. The furthest we can send a signal is to the other side of the planet." Al informed in a sad tone.

"That's okay, they'll come looking for me eventually. I'm just glad to be somewhere safe finally, the things she did to me in that place. I still feel sick from that drug." Ashoka said as she put a hand on her queasy stomach.

"You were drugged?" Tann asked in a shocked tone.

"Yeah, that and much worse. Everything hurts, she tortured me. She actually tortured me, she was my friend and she tortured me! How could she do that, I didn't mean for things to happen like they did! Oh Barriss, why?!" Ahsoka cried as she curled into a small ball. Everyone stared at Ahsoka with sad and confused expressions, they didn't understand what was going on, but it was obvious that Ahsoka had suffered some kind of horrible trauma. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be having a break down right now, I'm probably making you all pretty nervous." Ahsoka apologized with a sniffle as she wiped her tears.

"It's alright, you must've been through something pretty traumatic for us to have found you in the state you were in." Al replied with a sad expression.

"I don't remember much after getting out of the crevice I'd taken shelter in for the night. I remember walking across the rocky ground and feeling it cut my feet up. I remember it being hot, and I'd never felt so thirsty before. The only time I got water was when she'd hold a cloth over my face and dump it on me, I've never experienced such torture before. The worst part is that she enjoyed it, she didn't do it for information or anything, she did it for the fun of it. She broke my bones, electrocuted me, whipped me and shot at me. The room was so cold that I could feel the water she'd poured on me freezing over my skin. I've never experienced such pain before." Ahsoka quietly cried before closing her eyes and squeezing her blanket.

"We're so sorry that you went through that, but you're safe here." Tann said with a smile as she gently placed her hand on Ahsoka's arm. Ahsoka instinctively pulled away at the touch, fearing she was about to be struck again. "Sorry, I probably should've asked if you were okay with psychical contact." Tann apologized with a smile.

"I'm sorry, I'm normally pretty social, and I usually enjoy physical contact. But I'm just afraid right now, my instincts won't let me allow anyone to touch me. I'm sorry ma'am." Ahsoka apologized with a sniffle.

"It's okay, it's understandable after what you've been through; but if you do end up wanting a hug or something, you just let us know." Tann replied with a smile. Ahsoka lightly nodded as she wiped a few tears from her eyes.

"Come on, let's give her some space to rest. Is there anything you need Ahsoka?" Al asked in a kind tone.

"No thank you, you've all done more than enough for me." Ahsoka answered with a smile. Then she snuggled under her blankets and closed her eyes. Al smiled before leaving the room with his family and closing the door behind him.

"Alright, I've got some work to do in the fields, so you two leave Ahsoka alone while I'm out." Al instructed as he looked down at his children.

"Yes daddy." They both replied with smiles.

"Alright dear, see you soon." Tann said as she gave him a hug. Al hugged her back before heading downstairs and out the front door. "Now as for you two, go play somewhere so you're not tempted to bother Ahsoka. I'll get lunch started in the meantime." Tann said with a smile as she looked down at her children.

"Okay. Come on Nima." Andy said as he ran downstairs, followed by Nima. The two children ran outside to play for a while. Andy lead his sister around the property for a bit. They lived in a two story farm house, which sat on a massive plot of farm land where their father grew crops for the town. There was a large barn across from the house that was about the same size as the house, as well a silo that was at least three stories high.

"Andy, let's go play with the loth cats." Nima suggested as she ran towards the barn.

"Nima wait, we're not supposed to go in the barn! Papa says it dangerous!" Andy warned as he ran after Nima.

"How can it be dangerous, it's just an old barn?" Nima asked as she walked inside. There were bales of wheat stacked up to five bales high scattered all over the first level of the barn, there were also various tools and pieces of farming equipment scattered throughout it. "There they are!" Nima yelled with joy as she pointed at the second floor of the barn. Andy looked up and saw a small fluffy cat with tall triangular shaped ears, it's fur was white with spots of brown all around it, and it meowed at the kids as it lightly swayed its tail. "Come on!" Nima cheered as she scurried up a ladder to the second floor. Andy sighed before quickly following her. "Kitties!" Nima cheered when she reached the top, not just finding the one cat, but over a dozen of them.

"Wow, when did we get so many loth cats?" Andy asked as he looked at all the cats and kittens that were wandering around.

"Who cares!" Nima replied before running over to one of the cats and petting it. It was surprisingly friendly for a wild barn cat, purring as Nima scratched its ears and head. Another cat walked up to Andy and rubbed against his legs.

"Awe, they're so cute." Andy giggled as he sat down and pet the cat. The cats quickly gathered around the two kids, purring and meowing as they licked them or rubbed against them. Nima laughed as she rolled around on the floor, buried in a mountain of friendly loth cats. Then she looked up and noticed a lone cat sitting on a window sill.

"Awe, are you lonely kitty?" Nima asked as she stood up and walked over to the cat. The cat growled at her a little as she approached it. "Don't worry kitty, I won't hurt you." Nima said with a smile as she reached for the cat. The cat hissed before swiping a paw at her. Nema was startled by the action and quickly pulled back from the cat. She caught her foot on an old floorboard that was jutting up. "Woah! Andy!" Nema yelled as she stumbled, then she fell out the window, barely grabbing onto the windowsill as she did so. "Andy! Andy help!" Nema shouted as she dangled from the two story high window.

"Nima?" Andy asked as he looked behind him, seeing that his sister was gone.

"Andy!" Nima cried as she held onto the windowsill as tight as she could.

"Nima!" Andy yelled as he rushed over to Nima.

"I'm slipping!" Nima said as her grip started to falter. Andy grabbed her hands and tried to pull her back up, but he wasn't strong enough. "Help! Mama, papa! Help!" Nima screamed as she flailed her legs, trying to find a foothold in the barn. Her parents couldn't hear her desperate screams, her father was far away in the fields, and her mother was in the house cooking.

"Hold on Nima, I'll get help!" Andy said before turning to leave.

"No, don't leave me Andy! I'm gonna fall!" Nima cried as she started slipping a little more.

"Nima hold on, don't let go!" Andy replied as he ran back over to Nima and grabbed her hands again.

"Mommy, daddy help!" Nima screamed as she held onto Andy's hands as tight as she could.

"I can't hold on, you're slipping!" Andy yelled as Nima started to slip out of his grasp.

"Somebody help me!" Nima screamed in terror. Tann was walking around the kitchen as she prepared lunch for everyone.

"There we go, I hope Ahsoka likes sandwiches." Tann said to herself as she walked over to the window to let her children know that lunch was ready. "Nima, Andy! Lunch time!" Tann yelled as she leaned her head out the window. It was quiet for a moment, but then she heard the panicked scream of her child. "Nima? Nima?!" Tann shouted before running out of the house.

"Mama! Mama!" Nima cried as she held herself up just by hers and Andy's fingertips.

"Nima!" Tann screamed in horror when she saw her daughter dangling from the barn window.

"Mama!" Nima shouted as she finally lost her grip, plummeting towards the ground that was nearly twenty feet below her. Tann watched in horror as Nima fell, there was no way she'd reach her in time to catch her. Nima was less than a foot from hitting the ground, but she suddenly stopped mid fall. Tann and Andy stared in shock as she floated there, then she gently touched down on the ground.

"Nima! Oh thank God you're safe, but how did you do that?" Tann asked as she rushed to her daughter and hugged her.

"I... I didn't." Nima answered as she pointed behind Tann. Tann turned around and saw a gasping Ahsoka.

"You. You're. You're a Jedi?" Tann quietly asked as she stared at Ahsoka. Ahsoka dropped to the ground a moment later, passing out from over exerting herself.

"What happened to her, mommy?" Nima asked as she hugged Tann's leg.

"She overexerted herself, and she saved your life." Tann quietly answered as she walked over to Ahsoka and knelt by her. "Andy, go and get your father, hurry." Tann instructed as she stared down at Ahsoka. Andy nodded before running off to find Al. "Thank you Ahsoka, you saved our baby's life." Tann whispered with a smile.

"Mama!" Andy yelled as he came back with Al.

"What happened, why is she out here?" Al asked as he knelt by Ahsoka.

"Andy and Nima were in the barn and Nima fell out the window, but Ahsoka caught her, she caught her with the force. She's a Jedi." Tann quietly informed. Al's eyes widened with shock at what he'd just heard, he couldn't believe that Ahsoka was a Jedi.

"Why would anyone want to take the risk of kidnapping a Jedi?" Al asked as he stared down at Ahsoka.

"I don't know, but that's not important right now. She saved our daughter's life, despite the pain she's probably in at the moment. Let's get her back to bed." Tann replied with a sad expression. Al nodded before gently picking Ahsoka up, then he carried her into the house and brought her back up to bed. A few minutes later he came back downstairs and sat at the kitchen table with his family.

"A Jedi, I can't believe there's a Jedi staying in our house. Tann, do you realize what this means? She can help us, she can help us all." Al quietly said as he looked at Tann.

"No, we can't ask her to do that, it's too dangerous. Even for a Jedi." Tann replied as she set a plate with a sandwich on it in front on Al.

"What else are we supposed to do? We've prayed for help for months, the whole town has. She could be the answer to our prayers." Al said as he picked up his sandwich.

"She's in no condition to fight, especially not the Badland's Gang. Last time anyone tried to stand up to those monsters they were sent back in pieces, literal pieces, Al. We can't ask her to do something like that. Even a Jedi has limits." Tann replied in a sad tone, as she set a sandwich in front of each of the four remaining chairs at the table. "Kids, lunch is ready!" Tann yelled as she sat down across from Al. Al and Tann heard footsteps coming from upstairs, then Andy and Nima came running into the kitchen.

"You two weren't bothering Ahsoka again, were you?" Al asked as he stared at his children.

"I don't think so, she didn't seem to mind us being there." Andy answered as he sat down next to Al.

"Is she awake?" Tann asked with a smile.

"Uh huh. She said that she was going to be down in a minute." Andy replied as he took a bite of his sandwich.

"I'd best make another sandwich then." Tann said with a smile as she got up from the table and walked over to the counter. As she prepared another sandwich, Ahsoka slowly limped into the kitchen, leaning heavily on the wall as she did so.

"H-hi...everyone." Ahsoka said with a breath as she stared at everyone.

"Hello Ahsoka, how are you feeling?" Tann asked with a smile.

"Honestly, I'm in a lot of pain; and I can hardly see anything." Ahsoka answered as she leaned harder against the wall.

"You can't see?" Tann asked with some concern as she brought Ahsoka's sandwich to the table and set it down.

"Not really, everything's blurry. The right side of my head is just pounding, I think I'm concussed." Ahsoka answered as she tried to take a step forward, nearly falling as she did so.

"Easy, easy!" Tan yelled as she caught Ahsoka. "Al, get the speeder, we're taking her to the clinic." Tann instructed as she walked Ahsoka to a chair and sat her down. Al quickly got up and ran out of the kitchen.

"What's wrong with her, mommy?" Nima asked in a sad tone as she stared at Ahsoka.

"I don't know baby." Tann answered as she placed a hand on Ahsoka's forehead.

"I probably have a concussion, she hit me in the head with a metal pipe." Ahsoka groaned as she closed her eyes.

"The woman that held you prisoner?" Tann asked in a sad tone.

"Yes, Barriss Offee; that's what her name used to be anyways. But now she goes by Vader, Darth Vader." Ahsoka answered in a sad tone. "Uh. I feel like I'm gonna throw up, I'm sorry for the trouble I'm causing all of you." Ahsoka apologized as she hung her head to try and help with the nausea she was feeling.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, it's not your fault that this happened." Tann quietly said as Al came back into the kitchen.

"The speeder's ready, let's get her in." Al informed as he walked over to Tann.

"I don't think she can walk. You carry her, we'll meet you in the speeder." Tann replied as she gently handed Ahsoka off to Al, then lead Nima and Andy outside.

"You hang in there Ahsoka, Doctor Carlson's going to take good care of you." Al quietly said as he carried Ahsoka to the speeder and set her in it, then he got in the driver's seat and sped to the local clinic. Al parked the speeder outside of a small sandstone building with the word clinic carved out in large letters above the main entrance.

"It's okay Ahsoka, we've got you." Tann quietly said as she helped Ahsoka out of the speeder.

"I-I s-still can't see, mly heb hurts." Ahsoka slurred slightly as she stumbled a little before falling into Tan's arms.

"Al, carry her please. She's getting worse." Tann instructed as she stopped and held Ahsoka in place. Al rushed to Ahsoka's side and carefully picked her up, then he carried her into the clinic. The waiting room was empty with the exception of a young woman sitting behind the check-in counter.

"Mister and Misses Usho, I wasn't aware anyone in your family had an appointment today." The woman behind the desk said with a smile.

"We don't, I found this young woman in the canyon when I was coming back home from town. She's badly injured and concussed, she needs immediate attention." Al informed as he gestured to Ahsoka, who was barely conscious in his arms.

"I'll grab Doctor Carlson immediately." The woman informed before standing from her desk, then rushing out of the reception booth and down a short hallway.

"I'm glunna pukes." Ahsoka mumbled as she slapped a hand over her mouth.

"That's okay Ahsoka, there's a waste bin right here." Tann replied as she rubbed Ahsoka's back. Al quickly grabbed the waste basket and set in front of Ahsoka. Ahsoka dry heaved a few times before vomiting. "Oh you poor thing, it's okay, we're here." Tann quietly encouraged as she continued to rub Ahsoka's back.

"Mister Usho, it's good to see you and your family again. I hear that you have guest that's feeling ill." A young doctor greeted as he entered the waiting room.

"Yes, her name is Ahsoka Tano, I found her at the canyon's edge. She was barely conscious, she had no clothes on, and she said that she was held captive by someone and tortured. I don't know the full extent of her injuries, but she's definitely concussed." Al explained as he held Ahsoka out to the doctor.

"I'll bring her to a room to examine her, it might take some time since I'll have to do an in-depth examination." The doctor informed before holding his arms out. Al carefully set Ahsoka in the doctor's arms. "Oo, she's light for a togruta of her size. I'll check her for any kinds of illnesses, as well as physical injuries. I'll update you as I go." The doctor informed as he carried Ahsoka down the hallway and into a room. Al and his family waited patiently for over an hour before the doctor came back. "I don't know what happened to that poor woman, but she's been through some form of hell. She's covered in cuts and bruises, including this long and deep cut that stretches all the way from her left collar bone to her right hip. She has two burn marks on her stomach and one on her breast that, if I didn't know any better, I would say came from a blaster. Her right temporal bone is cracked, her chest is covered in first and second degree burns, almost as if something very hot had just been spilt all over her chest. There are also electrical burns webbing throughout her body, and she has a broken rib as well as a shattered kneecap. Lastly, as you suspected, she's suffering from a moderate concussion; thankfully there didn't appear to be any internal bleeding anywhere though." The doctor explained as he handed some papers to Al.

"Oh my God, I knew she was injured, but I never suspected it was so severe. Were you able to help her at all?" Al asked as he looked through the papers.

"Honestly, there wasn't much I could do. I treated her external injuries as best I could and prescribed some medication for the pain, as well as an ointment for the burns. That was about all I could do for her though, sorry Al. The best thing we can do now is just let her rest and give her the ointment and medicine when she needs." The doctor replied before giving Al a pat on the shoulder and walking away.

"Come on, let's get her home to rest." Al quietly said before gently picking Ahsoka up, then he carried her back outside to the speeder as his family followed him.

"Alright kids, you both watch over Ahsoka while we drive home, she's going to sit right between you both." Tann said with a smile as Al set Ahsoka in the rear center seat.

"Okay mama." Both children replied as they got in the speeder and sat down.

"Alright, let's get home." Al said as he started driving. The drive was short and quiet, and once they'd gotten home Al shut the speeder off and immediately went to help Ahsoka. "Okay Ahsoka, let's get you to bed." Al quietly said as he scooped Ahsoka into his arms, then carried her into the house. Al brought her upstairs and laid her in the guest bed she'd woken up in earlier that day. "Sleep well Ahsoka, we're here if you need us." Al whispered as he covered Ahsoka with a blanket before leaving. Ahsoka slept like a rock after that, she didn't wake up until after the sun had set.

"Mmm. Ooooh, my head. Where am I?" Ahsoka quietly asked as she looked around a little, a jolt of fear rushed through her when she realized that she didn't recognize anything around her. "What the heck?! Where am I, this isn't the palace?! Anakin?! Padmé?! Bubbles?! Anyone?!" Ahsoka shouted as she frantically looked around. There were fast moving footsteps a moment later as someone ran up a flight of steps.

"Are you alright, I heard you shouting from downstairs?" Tann asked as she rushed over to Ahsoka.

"Where am I, who are you, and how did I get here?!" Ahsoka asked in a panicked tone as she stared at Tann. Tann was as confused as she was concerned about Ahsoka having seemingly lost all recollection of what had happened since just a few hours ago. She took a breath and walked over to Ahsoka, who backed away slightly, breathing rapidly with a frightened expression on her face.

"My name is Tann Usho, my husband found you in the canyon earlier today and brought you to our home. You were severely injured and dehydrated, you were doing okay for a while once you'd woken up, but then you started complaining about your head hurting and not being able to see. We brought you to the local clinic and they said that you had a concussion amongst other things, do you remember any of this?" Tann asked with a sad expression. Ahsoka was silent for a moment as she tried to recall what had happened.

"I think I remember some of that, but a lot of things are suddenly fuzzy. My head is killing me, and I feel sick." Ahsoka replied as she slowly closed her eyes.

"I'll bring you a pail or something incase you feel nauseous again, is there anything else you need?" Tann asked in a kind tone as she turned to leave.

"I want my mother." Ahsoka quietly said with a sniffle as she closed her eyes. Tann was heartbroken at those words, as a mother herself, she could imagine how Ahsoka's mom must've been feeling at her disappearance. Tann quietly walked away to grab Ahsoka some kind of bucket to use if she felt nauseous.

"Padmé, Anakin, where are you?" Ahsoka quietly cried as she closed her eyes to sleep.