Not Her

Chapter 17

"I think you're training too roughly." Padmé says, directing her point at Anakin more than Ahsoka. "The doctors said she needs to avoid any more head injuries, not try to get as many as she can."

Anakin chuckles, doesn't hear the seriousness in her tone, "I caught her well before she fell, Padmé."

She narrows her gaze at her husband, "You won't always be there to catch her, Anakin."

"I think we need to be training more if anything." Ahsoka says, stretching out her legs, "I'll never learn how to win if Anakin's always letting me win. We already know Dooku won't go easy on me."

Padmé presses her lips together, her eyes drop to Ahsoka's midriff where a large scar is hidden under her top. Although Ahsoka never admits when it's hurting her, Padmé can see her grimacing when she stretches too far.

Anakin's commlink starts beeping, and one glance at her husband's face confirms who's calling.

He automatically moves to switch the device off when Ahsoka raises her hand, "Maybe we should see what they want."

"It's always the same thing." Anakin says with a sigh, "They wants us to come back to Coruscant."

Besides weekly calls to Obi-Wan, Anakin has severed all contact to the Jedi Council whilst he focuses on Ahsoka's rehabilitation. What Anakin hasn't considered is that although the Council wronged Ahsoka, all of her friends and family are involved in that Order.

Togrutas have never been good with social isolation.

"What if they have a mission for us?" Ahsoka asks hopefully.

He scoffs, "You're getting good at sparring, Snips, but you're not battlefield ready yet."

Padmé agrees. Ahsoka is recuperating fast but fighting on a battlefield is different from sparring in a quiet Nabooian garden.

"I said a mission, not a battle." Ahsoka grins, "I would be up for a supply run or something if the Council so desperately want us back."

What Ahsoka is really saying is that she wants to go back to Coruscant. Naboo is nice, but Coruscant is the girl's home, and if she feels ready to return to the Order- her family since she was a toddler- then Padmé won't stop her.

"You really want to go back and face them?" She asks the girl.

"I do." Ahsoka looks at Anakin, "We have to forgive them in order to heal, Master."

The Force resurrected Ahsoka, but Padmé believes forgiveness is the thing letting Ahsoka finally heal.

It propels victims of injustice and trauma forwards instead of backwards. Ahsoka has been moving forwards, but Anakin is lingering- Padmé knows he's never forgiven the Tusken Raiders who killed his mother.

If the Padawan can forgive, then hopefully the Master can too.

"If you're sure..." Anakin stands and raises his comm as he starts to walk away, "...Skywalker here."

Padmé squeezes Ahsoka's hand, sees the doubt on her face, "I'm proud of you, Ahsoka. It takes a lot of courage to face those who have wronged you. Remember, there will always be a home for you here."

A lot of people think forgiveness means reconciliation- it doesn't. Just because Ahsoka is ready to forgive the Council, doesn't mean she's accepting the harm they caused her.

Ahsoka throws her arms around the Senator's neck, "Thank you, Padmé- for everything. Especially for what you've done for Anakin."

It feels odd for a Jedi to be aware of the Senator's marriage to Anakin, but considering it's Ahsoka, Padmé isn't worried. Keeping their relationship from her was only adding to Anakin's stress, and surprisingly, the Padawan reacted to the news with a smirk which silently said, I knew it.