Chapter Text
Ahsoka looks up at her master. “Are you sure?” She asked. It’s their last day of protecting Chancellor Palpatine before another group of Jedi come to replace them so that Anakin, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan can rejoin the war, and it feels wrong to not be there.
“Of course,” Anakin easily replied. “Obi-Wan and I can watch over the Chancellor for the day. The wannabe assassin was already caught, so it’s more of a precaution than anything else. At least until the Temple finishes with the assassin to make sure they’re the only one in on the plan to try and kill him.”
“I’m your Padawan though,” Ahsoka objected. “I’m supposed to follow everywhere you go.”
“Yeah, and you’re also supposed to take my orders without question.”
Obi-Wan turned his head away, poorly concealing a laugh behind a cough but Anakin’s glare was enough for him to smile and remark,
“As if that statement ever worked on you , as a child.”
“Well then, I guess it’s lucky for me that Ahsoka is just the slightest bit more obedient.” He gave her a smile and a wink. “Right Snips?”
Ahsoka just rolled her eyes before reluctantly agreeing, “Fine. But you’ll call me if you need me?”
“We’re just watching the Chancellor sign some papers, you’ll be bored out of your mind,” Anakin pointed out. When Ahsoka gave him a pointed look, he chuckled and replied, “Yes, if something exciting happens then we’ll call you.”
“We’re doing a little more than watching him sign papers, Anakin,” Master Obi-Wan pointed out, and Ahsoka watched as her master sighed, clearly already expecting the lecture he was about to get. “We are here to protect him in case there are any others involved in the assassination plot led by-”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Anakin carelessly waved him off and Ahsoka chuckled when Master Obi-Wan scowled. “Go have fun, Snips. Force knows this’ll probably be the last time in awhile that we’re on Coruscant.”
“Alright then,” Ahsoka reluctantly agreed. She nodded to the two of them, bid her farewells to the Chancellor who had been watching from his desk, and then turned and left the room to try and find some way to entertain herself until her masters were finished and the Resolute arrived to pick them up and return them to the war front.
Wander down the halls, Ahsoka found herself very tempted to just turn around and return to the Chancellor’s office, wanting to continue arguing. She just couldn’t help but not like the idea of not being there, unable to stop herself from wondering if they were letting her spend the day on Coruscant as she pleased because she really would be bored or were they doing so as another stupid attempt from Master Skywalker to keep her from danger?
She’d fought battles in a war on the front lines. How much more dangerous could protecting the Chancellor from an assassination attempt be?
Then again, maybe she’s a little glad she doesn’t have to sit in a boring, stuffy room watching a politician make decisions and sign off on Republic laws. It certainly would have been boring and…well, perhaps this is unkind, but Chancellor Palpatine made her uneasy .
It was in a way she just couldn’t place—like how she couldn’t describe what The Force felt like but she knew she could feel it—so she hadn’t said anything because it wasn’t kind to speak poorly of the Chancellor himself, no matter how he might have made her feel.
Drawing herself from her thoughts, Ahsoka headed off in search of someway to entertain herself. For a moment, she was tempted to return to Senator Amidala’s floors a few buildings away and amuse herself by talking to C-3PO who was always interesting to talk to, but something in the back of her head told her it would be for the best to remain in the same building, if not the same floor, as Master Skywalker and Master Kenobi.
Just in case.
That in mind, she headed towards the elevator to see what there was for non-politicians to do here.
Ahsoka really didn’t find much to do. She’d explored what she was allowed to, had lunch with Senator Amidala, then found a quiet lounge room to sit and just…wait.
At first, despite her insistence on joining them, the thought of having the entire day to herself when she hadn’t in so long had been nice. Not having to sit in a room with a man who made her uneasy while having to be completely still, quiet, and on alert the entire time?
It had sounded great.
Now though, she was starting to suspect that even that would have been more entertaining than sitting alone by herself. Surely Master Skywalker wasn’t going to be standing there in silence the entire time. If she knew her master well enough—and Ahsoka liked to think she did—he would certainly have started getting on Master Obi-Wan’s nerves by now.
Sitting in the lounge room and gazing out at the city-planet through the large window, Ahsoka frowned when she felt a prickle on the back of her neck but when she turned around, there was no one there. Still unsure, she shook the feeling off and gazed out the window again.
But not ten minutes later, the feeling returned in the form of a slight headache in the back of her skull. This time she didn’t ignore it, knowing in a way she couldn’t explain that it was The Force.
It was calling to her, warning her, and she’d be damned if she wasn’t going to listen. Shifting in her seat, Ahsika closed her eyes and leaned into it, focusing on the feeling and trying to figure out what it was telling her.
The sudden sensation of a phantom hand wrapping around her throat and squeezing had Ahsoka gasping; eyes flying open as she lurched to her feet and reached for her lightsabers, taking off down the hall without a second thought.
Ahsoka trusts The Force above all else. She always has and has little reason not to now.
So when she felt that hand around her throat, she ran. She couldn’t explain in words, if asked, but she knew without a doubt that it was The Force, telling her that her master was in trouble.
She didn’t hear anything as she ran other than her feet pounding against the floor and her heart beating in her chest as she raced towards the Chancellor’s office. She knows, logically, that perhaps she could be worried that the Chancellor is dead or in danger but her only concern right now is her master.
She can worry about the Chancellor later. If anyone asks, she can just tell them that it wasn’t Chancellor Palpatine that the Force gave her warning for, but Anakin–and for that reason, he is her main concern.
She slides quickly around the corner, taking half a second to register the smoking hole where the doors used to be until her attention is drawn to the woman in dark robes and a crimson saber in hand.
Her other hand is extended in front of her where she’s using the force to suspend Anakin in the air—choking him as he hangs limp, eyes barely open and unseeing as he drifts towards unconsciousness.
Towards death, if Ahsoka does not act now .
Ahsoka doesn’t think as she ignites her lightsabers and snarls with more venom than she’s ever felt before,
“Pout him down. ” When the woman merely turns to look over her shoulder, Ahsoka adds, “ Now .”
That seems to get through to her because this time she releases Anakin and Ahsoka’s anger only grows hotter when she hears Anakin head snap against the floor as he falls. She wants to run to his side—to check on him and make sure he’s alive—but the woman in front of her is her main concern. She can worry more deeply about her master later.
So with both sabers lit, she leaps forward.
The woman is no Sith and clearly lacks proper lightsaber training because she goes down within minutes. Ahsoka wastes no time then in running to her master.
“Master Skywalker!” She called. “Master Skywalker, are you alright?”
There’s no answer so she fumbles for her comm, contacting the Temple and demanding medics, healers, more Jedi whatever it takes. As soon as she mentions an assassination attempt on the Chancellor, they move into action and she breathes a sigh of relief, glancing towards the desk as the man stands.
“Oh dear,” he murmurs as he comes around the desk and peers down at her master. A prickle so similar to The Force’s earlier call races down Ahsoka’s spine at the way the man looks at Anakin and she has to resist the urge to shield him with her body and snarl. “Is he alright?”
Does he look alright? Ahsoka wants to demand, but that’s horrible and rude and the Chancellor is Anakin’s friend, as much as Ahoska doesn’t really like that, so she only replies,
“He’ll be fine as soon as the Jedi arrive.”
It’s only then that she recalls Master Obi-Wan had been here too and in perfect timing fashion, she hears a groan and spots him over near one of the walls, shifting as he slowly comes to consciousness.
She hesitates at her master's side for only a moment before reluctantly standing and hurrying over to Master Obi-Wan, placing a hand on his shoulder to stop him from rising.
“Take it easy, Master Obi-Wan,” Ahsoka says. “I think you’ve hit your head.”
He groans, one hand coming up to probe at the back of his head—his wince confirming Ahsoka’s suspicion—before he’s suddenly gasping, eyes snapping open as he reaches out to grip her arm and say,
“Anakin! Is he-”
“He’s going to be okay,” Ahsoka promised. “But you have to be careful. I have no idea how long you’ve been unconscious and you probably have a concussion.”
“Where's Anakin?” Obi-Wan demands.
“Unconscious,” Ahsoka replied.
“How? Why?” When Ahsoka doesn’t answer, Obi-Wan says, “I assure you, Ahsoka, I’m fine. What happened to Anakin?”
“It was a Dark Force user,” Ahoska replied. “She Force choked him. He’s still unconscious now. We’re just waiting for the medic to arrive.”
“Any other injuries?”
“He hit his head when she dropped him. Beyond that…” I haven’t checked. I was more worried about making sure he was even alive. “As soon as the medics get here, we’ll get the two of you back to the Jedi Temple.”
“I’m fine.”
“You hit your head and lost consciousness. I don’t know how long you’ve been out, either.”
“What about Anakin?”
“He hasn’t woken up yet.”
Obi-Wan groaned, closing his eyes. Ahsoka called his name but he didn’t answer, grip on her arm growing weak until finally, he sunk back into unconsciousness.
Taking a deep breath, Ahsoka stood and—after making sure his vitals were in safe range—returned to her master’s side.
Ahsoka was sitting next to her master as one of the medics looked him over when she heard a groan and spotted Master Obi-Wan waking again. Checking on her own master one last time, she walked over to where the healer was trying—and clearly failing—to get Master Obi-Wan to lie still so they could see how bad his head wound was.
“Ahsoka?” He asked when he spotted her. “What-where’s Anakin?”
“Take it easy, sir,” the medic soothed, trying again to push him down. “You’ve hit your head and have a concussion.”
“Where’s Anakin?” Master Obi-wan demanded again.
“He’s fine,” Ahsoka promised. “Still unconscious-” and she was trying not to think about that fact too hard. “-but he’s going to be fine. The medic is looing him over now.”
Obi-Wan tried to wave off the medic. “I’m fine.”
“You hit your head, were rendered unconscious, and clearly don’t remember having this conversation the first time around,” Ahsoka pointed out. “So why don’t we just let the medics look you over until we get you back to the Halls of Healing at the Jedi Temple.”
Obi-Wan clearly wasn’t too pleased with that idea but just like before, the concussion or at least the pain from it seemed to be too much for him to stay awake through ad he groaned as he lost consciousness again.
Ahsoka let out a breath and stood to return to Anakin’s side, though the medic leaning over Obi-Wan stood as well and stopped her.
“I take it you’ve had that conversation with him before?”
“This is the second time.”
“Right. Expect a few more, at least until the concussion wears off. Short term memory loss is often a side effect.”
“Is there anything about it that I need to be worried about.”
“He should be fine once the concussion abates. If not, you can discuss with your Jedi healer.”
She nodded. “Thank you.”
Glancing down at Obi-Wan once more, Ahsoka turned and headed back to discuss Anakin’s state with the other medic.
Her master woke up in the Halls of Healing. They talked for a bit, made sure the other was okay, then glanced over when Obi-Wan groaned.
“Anakin,” he murmured. “Are you alright?”
“I’ve been better,” her master replied. “And you?”
“I’m fine. Ahoska told me you had been Force choked.”
“Not fun, certainly.” Anakin shifted. “Ahsoka said you hit your head and were in and out of consciousness. How are you feeling now?”
“Better than before. A headache, perhaps, but it will pass in time.”
“Good.”
“How long has it been?”
“Not long,” Ahsoka replied. “A few hours, but they want you both to stay a day or two for observation.”
“I see.” Obi-Wan nodded. “I should…thank you for your patience, Padawan.”
Ahsoka lifted a brow. “Oh?”
“I recall being informed that you and I had shared the same exchange several times,” Obi-Wan told her. “I cannot imagine the patience it must take to go over the same thing multiple times.”
“You had a concussion,” Ahsoka said. “The medic said it was normal.”
“Still. Thank you.”
She smiled. “Anytime, master.”
When she’d said any time, she hadn’t meant to go back over that same conversation five more times in the next full day cycle, but at least Anakin found it amusing.
“You know Snips, that wasn’t my first time getting Force-Choked but I definitely wouldn't recommend it.”
“Really?” Ahsoka asked, giving an amused expression. “I thought you liked getting hurt, Master. You certainly throw yourself into danger enough for it.”
“Ha ha,” he drawled. “Real funny , Snips.”
She grinned. “I thought so.”
She and Anakin glanced over then when they heard Obi-Wan call her master’s name, finding him pushing himself into a seated position and thankfully conscious again.
“Master,” Anakin returned, easily enough considering this was, what the sixth time they’d done this little dance? “How are you feeling?”
“I could ask you the same thing. Last I heard, you had been Force choked.”
“I’m fine.”
“Funny how you both say that when everyone knows you’re not,” Ahsoka teased, grinning when her master merely rolled his eyes before asking Obi-Wan,
“And you? You hit your head fairly hard. Are you alright?”
“Perhaps a headache,” Obi-Wan admitted, like he had all previous times they’d had this conversation. “But other than that, I’m myself.”
“Good.”
“You seem well,” Obi-Wan remarked. “For someone who was choked into unconsciousness.”
“Yeah, well, it’s been about a full day cycle at this point.”
“I’ve been asleep for a day ?” Obi-Wan asked, clearly appalled, and Ahsoka had to turn away to hide a smile as her master cheerfully replied,
“No you’ve been unaware for a day.”
“How do you mean unaware?”
“You've got a concussion, Obi. this is the sixth time we’ve had this conversation now.”
Obi-Wan’s eyes went wide and this time, Ahsoka couldn’t stop herself from laughing out loud.
“You’re not serious.”
“Oh no, he is,” Ahsoka assured, grinning.
The Jedi Master just groaned while the Padawan and Knight laughed.
Ahsoka is on the deck of the Resolute some days later, flying through hyperspace to get back to The Negotiator to drop Obi-Wan off, when the Jedi Master approaches her.
“I don’t believe I ever thanked you for coming to our rescue. Without you, I fear the worst could have happened. How did you know we were in danger?”
“I felt it in the Force,” Ahsoka replied. “The Force told me he was in danger. I don’t know how, but-”
“Perhaps not consciously,” Obi-Wan supplied. “But the Force works in mysterious ways.”
Ahsoka nodded in agreement. She knew her master hated that saying—especially hated when Obi-Wan said it—but she’d always liked it, because it was true. They didn’t know how the Force worked, not really, but they just needed to be thankful that it did.
“I’m glad I got to you both in time.”
“As am I. Oh, and I nearly forgot to mention. The Chancellor contacted the Temple earlier, looking for you.”
“Oh?”
“He left his thanks, for your protection. You saved his life, Ahsoka, and stopped the Republic from falling into the hands of the Separatists.”
“I suppose so,” Ahsoka agreed, choosing not to admit to the fact that Chancellor Palpatine had been the furthest thing from her mind when she’d rushed into that room. “I’m glad I could help. I just wish I had been there from the start.”
“You were there at the end. That’s all that matters.”