Lost in the Familiar

Chapter 7 - They're Written Down in Eternity

"And the Rebellion slaughters them without a second thought," Ahsoka snaps back.

He doesn't doubt that, knowing how many are Separatists in his time, and it makes him sick. He's doing this for the galaxy, not to help either side. Not so long as the leadership of the Rebellion is the same, at least. Because he's never going to hurt the clones. "I don't doubt that," Anakin tells her, "But what the Rebellion does, does not excuse what the Empire has done."

She doesn't argue the point, looking almost sullen more than anything else. Probably, it's a point she knows she really can't argue.

He can hear the engine of an approaching ship suddenly, and pauses, looking up to see Lost Familiar finally flying in.

"Can I trust you won't try to kill anyone?" Anakin asks her.

"You're holding me prisoner," she snaps, which answers nothing except that he'll need to be on guard.

"Is fighting for the Empire what you want to do?" he asks, because he can't imagine it is. His Ahsoka never wanted to fight in a war. That was why she left, in the end.

To that, she crosses her arms, ignoring the question entirely which leaves him almost certain she doesn't want to fight here anymore than she did in his time, even if she... doesn't let herself think about it, because it doesn't matter to anyone. Because she can't walk out if she wants to, unlike with the Jedi.

Lost Familiar lands a short distance away. Anakin approaches Ahsoka, holding himself back from touching her only because he doubts she'd be comfortable with it right now. "Come," he requests. She glares at him again, but heads for the waiting ship thankfully with little resistance.

Qui-Gon and Padme are waiting right inside, when Ahsoka stalks past them.

"Is that an Inquisitor?" Padme asks, expression tensing.

"Yes. She used to be my padawan," Anakin explains, pausing, "I know I can still help her." Even if she's fallen, he refuses to believe that Ahsoka could be lost. And he wonders suddenly, if this desperation to help her, this feeling of how he failed her, is how Qui-Gon feels towards Obi-Wan. He really doesn't want to think about that... mess right now. He needs to stay focused on Ahsoka.

She always has been, and always will be, the most important person in his life. She's his padawan. His future.

Qui-Gon nods, expression warm, as always. "If we cut off everyone whose choices differ from our own, we would stagnate and cease to learn, cease to grow. We must let people choose their path, and let them go as they see fit, but always leave a door open for them to return. Despite what others may call them, no one is ever truly lost."

(Is that true about Obi-Wan, too? Is there still a way to reach him? Qui-Gon already tried and failed, but that doesn't mean...)

"If it isn't the obnoxious, little tooka-Togruta," Asajj drawls appearing in the entrance to the hold where Ahsoka is standing, arms crossed.

"If it isn't the hairless harpie," she shoots back, glaring.

Force.

Why did he not expect them to know each other in this universe, too? Did she nearly kill Ahsoka here, just like she did in his reality? And he really doesn't want them both to start fighting.

"You don't need to escalate this," he says.

Asajj huffs, dramatically rolling her eyes, but she doesn't dispute the point.

"What are you, a rebel cell?" Ahsoka asks.

Anakin's about to say no, but he pauses, unable to help thinking... how much he would like that. The three of them are the only ones he has here, and he wants them to stay. Wants to... keep that. And if he's going to keep Ahsoka somewhere, he'll need somewhere to stay consistently so he can keep an eye on her.