Epilogue

Author's Note: I wasn't planning to do this but per request, I decided to give this one more closure part. :)

It was also supposed to be more fluff than this but this is just kinda how it came out.

~ Tirana Sorki

The war is over only a month later. Without Sidious to keep playing both sides, the Senates start to work out a peace deal that actually seems to be holding, even if Anakin's cynically afraid it's not going to last.

He doesn't sense too much darkness in the future, though. It feels like something lighter is coming. It's long past time after the chaos of the war for so long. And especially after... Sidious. He still sees what happened when he was captured in his nightmares. He still can't shake the fear that something like that could happen again.

It's far too early to start thinking about the fate of the clones but Anakin's thinking about it anyway.

"I talked to some of the Senators," Anakin says, arms crossed, "Some of them are starting to push for clone rights but I don't know how far it's going to go right now."

Rex smiles faintly. "Thank you, sir. But I can't imagine being anything other than a soldier."

His heart clenches.

The clones never got a chance to make that choice at all. Just like him. But they've never known enough of the outside world to feel like any other life ought to exist. "Maybe but that should still be a choice that you get to make. And all of your brothers. If some of you want to leave, to live lives of your own, you should be able to."

"I can't imagine what other life there would be," he admits. "This is all we've ever known."

Anakin hesitates. "Maybe now that the war is over, you can see a bit of what civilian life is like. You all deserve a break from the war anyway. Jedi got meditated leave sometimes even during the war. It's hardly fair that you don't get the same."

"Do you have something in mind, sir?" Rex asks a little dryly.

"I've never been anywhere I know to take you," Anakin admits, "And this – isn't really what I meant, but now that the war is over... I've been thinking about going to Tatooine. Back to my home planet. I want to free the slaves there. If you or the boys want to tag along, I could probably arrange that. But considering that Jabba is presently a Republic ally, I think we'd have to conceal your identities. It could cause a lot of legal complications if anyone realized who we were. And the Republic could take action to stop us."

On second thought, maybe taking some of the clones along isn't the best of ideas, but he still wants to give them the chance.

"After what you've told us about that place, sir, I'd... like to help you if we can. If we can do it without causing trouble."

Anakin grins, laying a hand on Rex's shoulder. "Then I'll see if I can find a way to make this work."

This is the first real choice he's getting to make.

And it's to free the slaves, something he's wanted to do all his life. He never thought he'd get that chance but – maybe he will now. It fills him with a certain sense of exhilaration. He's nervous too though because he's never done this before. He doesn't know how it's going to go or end.

But he knows for sure that after he's done with Tatooine, he needs to turn all his focus to making sure the clones get freed too.

**w**

"It's weird to be leaving," Ahsoka comments, watching out the shuttle viewport as they fly away from the Jedi Temple. She never did rejoin the Order but she's still stayed around since she didn't really have anywhere else to go. She's mostly stayed on the 501st cruiser, getting to know a lot of them really well.

"It is," Anakin agrees, gaze focused on the steadily shrinking building.

It – it is his home in so many ways, even if he spent so much of his time there feeling so unwelcome.

Most of all, it's weird to be able to leave knowing it's his choice, knowing that this is more than just some assigned mission. He doesn't know when he's going to be back this time, even if he knows he will come back eventually.

Ahsoka edges a bit closer to him, leaning against his side. Anakin slides an arm around her shoulders, pulling her against him. He lightly rests his chin between her montrals as they watch the view together.

"I've always wanted to know what it would be like to be a padawan during peacetime," Ahsoka says, "I guess that's not really what this is either but – it's more like what the Jedi are supposed to be doing, right?"

"It is," Anakin agrees, "Perhaps not the... fight that I know will be coming but helping those who were enslaved afterwards is."

Ahsoka nods, something distinctly hopeful in her gaze. "I'm glad you're getting this chance," she says finally, "I know what it – means to you."

He smiles faintly though she can't see it seeing as he's half behind her. "That's all thanks to you, Snips."

She twists around, smiling up at him. "Maybe a little. But you deserved to get that a long time ago."

He squeezes her a little tighter. "Why don't we prepare for the mission?"

"And make sure Maul and Master Obi-Wan don't try to kill each other?" she agrees dryly.

"And that."

It's frankly a bit exhausting and also concerning seeing as they're on the same ship right now but they'll have to make it work.

At least Maul and Ahsoka are doing a little better at getting along now.

**w**

As it turns out, he and Ahsoka get to the hold just in time to make sure no one's getting murdered. Maul and Obi-Wan keep glaring at each other even if they're otherwise pointedly ignoring the other's existence.

"You said you were working on a plan?" Anakin asks, coming to stand an equal distance between them.

Both to make sure no one gets murdered and to ensure neither of them feel... ignored.

"I do have one," Maul agrees, studying a holomap of Jabba's palace on the table in front of him. A lot of details about security are missing. They'll have to make do with what they have. "I have... other criminal allies who, with a little gain, will have no objections to being our army when we move in."

"You're talking about killing everyone there?" Obi-Wan asks dubiously.

"Did you have some better plan, Jedi?" Maul hisses, eyes narrowing, "Want to negotiate with the Hutt who kept Anakin a slave?"

Obi-Wan bristles. "Perhaps I just don't trust your judgement on who ought to die."

Okay, they do not need to be dealing with this right now.

"What would these criminals want?" Anakin interjects, frowning.

"A bit of money. Some status." Maul shrugs a shoulder. "Nothing that will be hard to give them."

"We're supposed to be helping the people of Tatooine. Not bringing criminals there," Ahsoka points out.

"Once our side of the deal is done, I can change what they get in return however I want," Maul replies flippantly.

Basically, he doesn't have any qualms about double-crossing them. Anakin doesn't really appreciate his methods but he does know that if they're going to take over Tatooine, they will have to... show force. Even if it's limited. He'll be there to reign Maul in, though, so hopefully it'll be alright.

They continue going over the entry points together, just trying to figure out what they need to be focusing on.

But really, they have no idea how many bounty hunters are going to be there. Just that there will be a lot.

"It would be ideal if we could get someone inside before the attack," Anakin muses.

"How'd we do that?" Ahsoka objects, "We can't just walk in, can we?"

Anakin shakes his head. "Someone would have to either pretend to be a bounty hunter – but getting that kind of role could take time – or they'd have to be offering Jabba something."

Which gives him a sudden idea, even if it's not something he wants to do at all.

"We don't really have anything to offer them," Ahsoka argues.

"There may be... one," Anakin says slowly, stomach flipping at the mere thought. He doesn't want to do this. But – This is for all the slaves on Tatooine, for Kitster who he barely remembers if he's even alive, for... It's everything he's ever dreamed of. Sacrifices have to be made sometimes. "If I was in my wolf form and someone went there to negotiate a – a price with Jabba – "

"Anakin," Obi-Wan interrupts, sounding appalled, "No. We are not pretending to sell you."

His gut flips at hearing it laid out so plainly. "It's the only way – "

"Skyguy – " Ahsoka starts to argue.

"Don't be weaklings," Savage interrupts, very unhelpfully. Usually he silently shadows Maul, not saying much. Anakin hasn't really gotten the chance to get to know him. He wants to though, because this is Maul's brother. "He's not even getting hurt."

Obi-Wan and Ahsoka both turn their glares onto him.

Rex and the other boys who Anakin brought along are standing rigidly behind everyone else, not really offering input, but Anakin doesn't think they're overly happy with the plan either.

"What is wrong with you Sith?" Ahsoka asks. "Do you have any idea what this – "

"Yes," Maul interrupts, turning to hold Anakin's gaze, "Is this really what you want to do?"

No.

By all the stars in the galaxy, he does not. But this is just a mission. It's something he could even have been asked to do by the Jedi and he wouldn't have had a choice. At least this is his decision.

He wishes that mental reassurance made him feel better. He doesn't want to ever feel like that again. But – this isn't about him so he'll do it anyway. It's to make sure no one else ever has to feel the way he did.

"I think it's the only way," Anakin replies, holding his gaze, with more determination than he truly feels.

**w**

The plan goes better than Anakin thought it would. He locks the chain around his neck himself while he's human before shifting to be a wolf. No one else wanted to be the one to do it and he didn't want to ask it of anyone either.

That does little to stop how his heart rate picks up the moment he's a wolf and the collar is pressed against his neck again. This is familiar. Too familiar.

He wants to rip it off and just run and –

No.

Focus.

Nothing's wrong. He's just fine and he can take this off as soon as everything's over.

Maul and Savage are leading the criminal forces who are attacking. He's never letting Ahsoka inside Jabba's palace until it's been cleaned up. Rex and the clones are too recognizable as clones. And that means Obi-Wan is the only one who can do this.

He's holding the chain but he does not look happy. Anakin can feel how upset he is and it's only making him feel worse.

Anakin pauses enough to rub against his leg as they walk. Obi-Wan briefly runs a hand over his head but he seems to be feeling too tense to really do much else.

Getting into Jabba's throne room is even worse. He knows how to play the submissive, quiet role. He's done it a million times.

He thinks it's Obi-Wan's acting that could use a bit of help, not that it would be very nice to tell him so. At least from here, Anakin's able to assess the security odds and he tries to focus on that instead of Jabba talking about how much he's going to cost.

It's not long before Maul shows up. He hears the shooting start outside and as soon as the palace doors are forced open and the bounty hunters all turn to start shooting at Maul, Anakin pounces them.

He's done this enough times in battle so he knocks them down, tearing through their weapons. Some of the bounty hunters run and they let them go – they aren't affiliated directly with Jabba anyway.

The Sith and gangsters make quick work of everyone else in the room, minus the slaves, until there's only Jabba left who Maul much too gleefully throws into the rancor pit down below.

Which was –

Okay, Anakin has to grudgingly admit that it was fairly deserved considering how many slaves he's killed that way, but that doesn't mean it was –

He doesn't like all the death, even if it's inevitable and most if not all of the people who died here probably deserved it.

But at least the battle is over and that means Maul can rightfully claim to be ruler of Tatooine. Getting rid of slavery from here isn't going to be easy but at least they have leadership claim so it's a start.

**w**

Jabba's palace is not a place Anakin wants to live but they'll have to make do for now. The walls feel dirty and mostly of misery and darkness. It's rubbing in everything that happened here that everyone's ignored for so long. At least he finally has the chance to do something about it.

He's sniffing around the halls of the palace for anyone who doesn't belong here but he runs into Obi-Wan first.

Obi-Wan turns, approaching him. "Are you alright?"

Anakin trots up to him, nuzzling his head against his chest. "Yes."

Obi-Wan's hand drops to his neck, lightly tracing across the still matted fur where the collar was less than an hour ago. "Really." He sounds entirely disbelieving.

Which is fair.

He's not fine but he doesn't really want to keep thinking about it either. Especially when – "You seem upset," Anakin observes. He can feel it as much as he can smell it.

He's quiet for a long pause before sighing. "I never wanted to see you in that state again, Anakin. Not after I was one of the ones who... helped chain you in the first place."

Anakin stills, looking up at him.

He didn't really realize Obi-Wan was still bothered by what the Jedi first did to him. But it is true that Obi-Wan helped capture him and bring him there in the first place. And it might have been better there, but it –

"I don't blame you for that," he promises. Not anymore, at least.

"I know you don't." He doesn't look much happier but there's a lingering visible hint of affection in his eyes, as his hand trails down the fur of Anakin's back.

"Sorry," he mutters, because it feels like – maybe he ought to say it.

He never thought Obi-Wan having to fake owning him and treating him like an animal would bother him. Not this much anyway.

Or maybe it's just that he's still thinking about what Anakin told him only months ago about how unhappy he was growing up with the Jedi.

"Anakin, you're the last person who needs to be apologizing."

"I didn't know it would upset you. I – "

"You're the one I'm worried about," he interrupts, "I know that wasn't easy for you."

Anakin shudders instinctively. There's no point pretending otherwise. "I didn't want to do it." It sounds like a whisper, even mentally. "But I just don't want to leave anyone else in the same condition that I was. And that was – it's like what the Jedi say about personal sacrifice." There's a lot about being a Jedi that he doesn't agree with or like but that's something that he can sometimes understand very well.

Obi-Wan cracks a faint smile. "For being a Sith for so long, you sometimes act so much like you are a Jedi. And I – am proud of you for being able to do what you did, even if I wish you hadn't had to. Sometimes I wish you could have been a Jedi from the start, that we had found you when you were young. Maybe... I could have trained you as my padawan."

The words flood him with an overwhelming level of affection and warm fuzziness that he has no idea what to say to.

So he finally settles for just grinning up at him. "You would have found that miserable."

"Miserable?" Obi-Wan repeats incredulously, "Why would that be – "

Anakin pushes himself up to his back legs, balancing his front paws on Obi-Wan's chest and starts slobbering his face before he can finish his sentence.

He jerks back with a noise of annoyance, smearing his face off on his sleeve. "That was completely unnecessary."

"I warned you," Anakin barks gleefully, jumping him and knocking him flat on his back, "Then you would have had to put up with this for many more years than you did."

Obi-Wan tries to shove him off and avoid his tongue – which is the funniest battle ever – before Anakin scoots back just enough to let him sit up. He curls up in his lap before he can try standing.

"If you wanted a hug, you could have just asked," he grumbles.

Anakin laughs, as much as he can in his wolf form. "Where's the fun in that?"

Obi-Wan very annoyed huff is so worth it. He runs his hand along his back though, just holding him.

It's nice to feel after what just happened. He's perfectly aware that Obi-Wan can't protect him from everything and considering which of them is stronger in the Force, Anakin's probably the more capable one in that regard, but that doesn't change that being here makes him feel... safer.

While it lasts, he lets himself feel content with that.

**w**

It's in the middle of the night when Anakin silently slips out of his new room at the palace and heads for the hanger. He doesn't have to do this in the middle of the night but he doesn't really want anyone to see.

He's climbing onto his speeder, about to drive out, when sudden movement catches his attention.

It's Maul, quietly entering the hanger too. "What are you doing?" he asks.

"Going for a ride," he answers quietly.

"Company?"

Anakin hesitates.

But really, he's fine with it if Maul's coming with him. He'd – be fine with anyone coming with him actually, but... His brother knows the darker things he's been through better than anyone else will thankfully ever have to. "If you want to."

"We need to scout out the town regardless," Maul replies.

Anakin nods and Maul climbs on the speeder behind him, wrapping his arms around him to keep himself balanced. It's not intended to be a hug, to be sure, but it still feels like one.

Anakin drives away, heading to Mos Espa.

He hasn't been here since he was a child. His memory of much of it is blurred over now but it's still there. It ignites a familiar emptiness and longing.

His mother –

She's long gone and he already remembers her but... it's strange to remember that he once lived here with her in this very town.

He's almost surprised he remembers the streets well enough as he drives past.

Watto's shop.

It's still operational though it's closed now, considering it's in the middle of the night.

He remembers working here. Remembers everything that happened to him on Tatooine right here and for as awful as it was, it was nothing like Sidious.

"This is where you... worked," Maul realizes.

Anakin nods numbly.

Doesn't know why he's even here. Or maybe he does.

"Who was he?" Maul demands, something dangerous in his voice.

"Watto. A Toyrdarian."

"I'll kill him," Maul vows, "I'll rip his wings off and – "

"Maul," Anakin interjects tiredly.

"Do not tell me you want to show him compassion."

"No," he assures. Watto wasn't all bad but he's still a slaver. He still – Anakin remembers being beaten by him a couple times, even with how young he was then. "But I... That doesn't mean you need to make it gruesome either. We aren't going to be able to kill every slaver on the planet. It'll have to be... I don't know yet." Killing half the population will entirely destroy the economy and – They need to think practically about that too because most of the slaves don't even know how to live on their own and... It's going to be very complicated.

"And that's not really why I came out here," Anakin finishes.

"What is?" Maul asks.

"I just..." Maybe it was a little bit just to get closure, but more than that – "Whoever Watto has now, I want to free them personally."

Maul shifts behind him. "Then we can find them in the morning unless you would like to do it now. But I am still going to kill him."

"Alright," Anakin concedes.

He can't argue Maul wanting to be protective of him. And it's not as if Watto is innocent.

Maybe... Anakin can find the slaves he's looking for tonight and tell them that they don't have to go to the shop in the morning. He knows what agonizing over every day is like. He won't make them wait any longer.

And then he'll find a way to do the same for everyone else here. He won't stop until he does.

**w**

"You sure you're not going to fall off?" Anakin barks as he trots along through the sand, trying to keep up with the rancor that Ahsoka's riding on.

"Nope!" Ahsoka chirps cheerly, attempting to nudge the rancor with her feet to make it keep walking.

"No you won't fall off or no you don't know if you're going to?" he asks dryly.

"Both. You sure you don't wanna come up here? I thought you hated getting sand in your fur."

Well, that's fair but coming here in his wolf form was the only way to get the rancor to calm down. Its caretaker was killed in the fighting and nothing would calm it down.

Except another what-it-thought-was-an-animal, apparently.

The rancor growls lowly in its throat and Anakin trots ahead, circling around in front of him to nose his head against the rancor's. Its giant eyes stare down at him but after a moment it nudges him back, settling out again.

"I think I need to keep it calm," Anakin replies.

"Well, it does seem to like you," Ahsoka agrees, "I think maybe we should keep him. At least it'll scare away anyone who wants to attack us even if we obviously aren't gonna use him for the same purpose Jabba did."

Anakin shudders.

He remembers – Gardulla had a rancor too. He saw people fed to it during his time on Nal Hutta, that he thankfully hardly remembers anything of anymore.

"He'd probably be happier among some of his own kind but we'll have to see if he wants to go or not."

They start off across the sand together, Anakin trotting along on the ground in front of the rancor while Ahsoka rides it. She seems to be having fun, at least. It's a moment of calm before all out chaos explodes on Tatooine.

"How is it being here?" Anakin inquires finally.

Ahsoka's quiet for a pause. "Different," she admits, "I don't know if I was ready for the action yet but I'm still glad I came. It's not like it was with the Jedi. It's just – it's nice. Sometimes, it feels like what we're about to do here is the first time I've really helped anyone since I became a padawan."

"I hope it stays that way," he tells her solemnly. He knows there were people who they helped during the war but he still understands why Ahsoka feels the way she does about it. They destroyed so much. The Jedi were losing their way to a point and Anakin has to admit he's grateful to not be a part of an order. To – be able to have his own path with his family.

"Well, I – " She's about to reply when the rancor suddenly half stands up, sniffing around and Ahsoka yelps.

She goes sliding right down its back, flopping into the sand.

Anakin runs over to her, barking. "Are you okay?"

She just rolls over, giggling. "That was so fun."

He breathes out a sigh of relief, and licks her face. She just laughs, reaching up to half wrap her arms around his neck and he leans closer, slobbering her face and lekku.

"Don't tell me you're still obsessed with how they feel," Ahsoka says, amused.

"It's not that weird," Anakin protests.

She just rolls her eyes.

They're all fuzzy and it feels ridiculous under his tongue.

The rancor lumbers a little closer, staring down at both of them oddly.

"I wanna go for a slide again!" Ahsoka says.

Anakin laughs. But really, Ahsoka couldn't get hurt from something like that. "I don't think he'd like being used as a slide but who knows?"

She grins. "Why don't we find out?"

**w**

Freeing Tatooine takes time. The slavers are resistant to it, and it's been intrenched in the society for so long that it's just – hard. But they're working on it and every bit of the time they spend on it is so worth it.

Maul, as the new Tatooine leader, sticks with the treaty Jabba had with the Republic – as long as the Jedi don't intervene to stop them. Hopefully that will keep them form getting caught up in any very messy intergalactic conflicts.

The Separatists and Republic are presently existing as separate entities right now, after all, and they don't want to get dragged into a war if something goes downhill.

Anakin isn't too surprised when he hears that the Jedi are sending someone to Tatooine for aid though he's still a little wary that it's to spy on them. Though at the same time, Obi-Wan is still officially part of the Order so if they were suspicious about what was happening, they could just ask him.

The shuttle lands right outside the palace and Anakin goes out there to meet whoever it is. But he was not expecting –

"Mill?" Anakin breathes, incredulously.

She smiles brightly up at him. She's a little taller than when he last saw her a couple months ago. Must be hitting a growth spurt. "Anakin," she greets, "I'm glad to see you again."

"It's good to see you again too," he tells her sincerely, "I didn't think I would for a while."

"Me either but..." She moves a little closer to him, throwing a discreet glance around. "Don't tell anyone I'm telling you this but the Senate is uneasy about changes here and they wanted a Jedi to scout out. Officially, no one knows Master Kenobi is here so..."

Like he thought. "Alright," Anakin assures, "But don't worry, there's nothing to worry about. We just want to rebuild this planet with no interest in galactic conflicts."

"I know," Mill replies, "And – Master Nema's here too."

The Jedi Master herself appears in the doorway and Mill steps back, probably to make it look a little less like she was just telling Anakin things she shouldn't have been.

It's nice to have her here, though.

He never thought he'd get all his family and close friends in one place again, but... maybe the Jedi Temple and Tatooine are a home to him of sorts. As long as he can have his family with him.

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