Well, here we are. I wrote this right after S7e10, so right before Shattered. Let's just divert the canon a little, shall we?

"You seem troubled."

Ahsoka looked up at Rex. The captain—no, commander now—wore a passive expression, but she could sense the weariness coming off from him as well. They were both exhausted, the adrenaline of the operation just now coming down. Ahsoka knew that Rex had slipped into his new role as the commander with all the ease that she knew he would, but that wasn't to dismiss the losses today. And yet there he was, subtly checking Ahsoka in the way that felt nostalgic and familiar. He had been doing that for the whole night—quiet looks and nods after he had handed Ahsoka back her light sabers. Of course he had found them.

"Only a little," Ahsoka replied. She dropped her arms at her sides. She had had them folded over her chest just a moment before, her hands squeezing at her biceps. She could feel the slight sting of where her nails had dug into her skin.

After a beat, Rex cleared his throat. "Care to explain why?"

Ahsoka turned her gaze back around out to the bridge. "You heard Maul," she said, watching the blue waves of light wash over the viewport. "He was begging us to let him die." She frowned. "I don't like it."

"He's a criminal," Rex replied. "He's afraid of the consequences waiting for him."

"Maybe," Ahsoka said, keeping her eyes out the viewport. But there had been something else. Anakin. Maul had mentioned Anakin's name. The one not to bring balance to the Force, but to destroy it. Another chill ran up Ahsoka's spine.

"You don't think that's it," Rex said.

"No," Ahsoka replied. She turned to Rex. "Maul said something else before—something about Anakin. General Skywalker."

"What about the general?" Rex asked, his brows furrowing.

Ahsoka's stomach clenched. "Nothing good," she replied. "I don't like it." She looked over to the holo-table farther down the bridge. "I'll need to contact the Council about our success with Maul."

"And what of Maul's interest in the general?" Rex asked.

Ahsoka pressed her lips together. She didn't like the idea of telling the Council anything that Maul had told her about Anakin. Not right now, not after what Obi-Wan had told her about the operation they had put on Anakin. Ahsoka's skin crawled just thinking about how Anakin might have reacted to being told to spy on the Chancellor. She hadn't liked the Chancellor so much herself, and she had the vague idea that the Chancellor didn't think much of her either from their brief encounters before the trial, but still, Anakin respected the man. And the Council asking him to do something like that—

"We'll be back on Coruscant soon," Ahsoka decided to say. "That can be settled in person. For now, though," she said, strolling towards the holo-table, "we'll need to make a quick call."

And the call was quick: if the Council was surprised at all to see Ahsoka, they didn't show it. Ahsoka wasn't sure how she felt about that. She exchanged tight nods, accepted a "looking forward to your arrival, we are" from Master Yoda, who himself was all the way back at Kashyyyk.

"Is Master Skywalker there?" Ahsoka asked at last. "He might want to know the state of the 501st."

There was an awkward silence at that. Ahsoka didn't miss the looks flicked amongst the Council members. Finally, Master Windu said, "Skywalker is currently with the Chancellor."

Ahsoka tasted something sour in her mouth. The assignment, she thought, but she couldn't bring herself to say that out loud. "I see." She squared her shoulders. "Well, then, masters," she said, "we will be at Coruscant shortly." She heard the beginnings of a response—"May the Force be with—"—but before the farewell could be finished, Ahsoka shut off the holo-table.

"Rex," Ahsoka said over her shoulder.

"Yes, ma'am."

"I'm going to pay our guest a little visit," Ahsoka said, turning around. "Let me know the second we get out of hyperspace."

"Yes, ma'am."

With that, Ahsoka walked out of the bridge. She nodded to the troopers, trying to suppress the grimace that threatened to come to her face whenever one of them would try to salute. She still couldn't quite get used to that part. She wasn't sure if she wanted to. She wouldn't be.

Ahsoka stopped in front of Maul's ray-shielded cell. The small squadron of troopers protecting the cell snapped to attention, but Ahsoka was already waving her hand. "At ease," she said, her eyes already shifting to the inside of the cell.

And there was Maul, his spiny head lifting to meet Ahsoka's gaze. His yellow eyes seemed to move too quickly from side to side, his lips just a little too tightly pressed together. Scared. The great Darth Maul was scared, and Ahsoka again felt a strange clench at the pit of her stomach.

Still, Maul was the one who spoke first. "Come to gloat, Lady Tano?" he asked, his voice little more than a quiet rasp.

"Not quite," Ahsoka replied. She crossed her arms and, just barely tilting her head at the troopers, she said, "Leave us."

There was some shuffling, and then Ahsoka added, "I'll be fine. I'm not planning to go in there."

"Yes, ma'am," the troopers chorused, and then they were marching away, and Ahsoka was left alone with Maul. She turned back around to the cell. Maul's eyes were still flicking from one end of the cell to the other, but besides that, he was still, his hands resting on his knees and his back only loosely slouched against his seat.

"You haven't come to gloat," Maul said at last. "And you have sent your men away." He lifted his eyes up to Ahsoka. "I can only imagine why else you would be here." His mouth curled into the briefest of smiles—a sardonic, twisted one that cracked the corner of his already dry lips. "Have you finally decided to accept the truth?" His voice lowered. "You know it too, Lady Tano. You feel it from your old master too."

"Don't tell me what I feel," Ahsoka said. She dropped her arms from her chest, chose to cross them behind her back instead. "Why don't you tell me more of your Darth Sidious instead? This Dark Lord who has been grooming Anakin Skywalker?"

Maul let out a low laugh, one that sent another chill up Ahsoka's spine. "Surely," he said, lifting his eyes back up to Ahsoka. "You must have your own suspicions."

When Ahsoka didn't say anything, Maul leaned a little forward, enough for Ahsoka to make out the red lingering in Maul's eyes—red that didn't have to do with the shield. "There are those who live for centuries. Those who have seen and suffered and learned long enough to know exactly when to strike, where to strike, who to strike. Masters of manipulation, those who appear so convincing that they fool entire solar systems. Galaxies." Maul's fingers twined around each other as he looked Ahsoka dead in the eye. "Republics."

Ahsoka's blood ran cold, but she kept her voice level as she replied, "Someone within the Senate."

"Mm," Maul settled his elbows over his knees. "Come now, Lady Tano. Someone with as much power as Darth Sidious couldn't just settle for a seat on the Senate, now, would he? No…" He shook his head, drew back. "Someone who has the entire Senate in his pocket."

Ahsoka's stomach plunged. "I don't trust you," she said.

"You don't have to," Maul replied, tilting his eyes back to the edges of the cell. "You already know."

Before Ahsoka could say anything else, her comlink chirped.

"Rex," she said, keeping her eyes on Maul. "Good news?"

"We've reached Coruscant," Rex confirmed. "We're about to make our descent to the Jedi Temple now."

"Good," Ahsoka said, and she turned away before she could catch any more of Maul's sickening smile. "Get the transports as quick as you can. And Rex," she added after a beat, "get some transports ready for the Senate Building as well."

There was a pause, and then, "Right away, Commander."

"Not your commander," Ahsoka couldn't help but say as she raced down the hallway. She jerked her head to the troopers waiting for her. Go back to Maul.

"Sure thing, Commander," came Rex's reply.

The sun was setting when Ahsoka reached the Temple. She only just processed that part—the sun was setting—before watching the Temple guards whisk a newly-stunned Maul into the recesses of the Temple. Ahsoka looked around for any familiar faces: for more members of the Council, but none existed. If anything, the Temple was eerily quiet, save for the quiet rush of the guards' droids. Too quiet. Everything was too quiet.

"What are your orders?" Rex asked.

"Keep the transports for the Senate Building ready," Ahsoka replied. She looked over at Rex. "I'm going to find Anakin." She hesitated. "Stay ready. And stay on guard." She looked back up at the Temple warily. "There's something not right about this." She turned back around to Rex. "Just give me a few minutes."

"We'll be ready whenever you are," Rex replied, and Ahsoka only managed the briefest of smiles before she was running up the steps two at a time. She sped past the great structures at the front of the Temple, and only when she took her first step inside was she hit by a sudden wave of familiarity: the smell of linen and cotton and leather. Something floral, another thing spiced. The distant gurgle of water from the courtyards. The faintest buzz of energy from the lights down the hallway. The sudden rush was enough to falter Ahsoka's step, but just the faintest bit.

She needed to focus.

Anakin. Where was he?

Ahsoka remembered another corridor, another time—a younger time—when she had been circling for another person. A criminal. A stolen light saber. A lesson in patience. Ahsoka stilled now, reached out into the Force. She could feel several things: anxiety, a hushed kind that filled the minds of younglings and Padawans as they waited for…what, exactly, Ahsoka didn't know. Calm, the kind that Ahsoka could only credit to the older masters, the ones who were too old to go out to battle but still had enough energy to teach. And then—

Ahsoka let out a short gasp, her eyes snapping open. Sorrow. So much sorrow—pain, confusion. So sharp, focused, real in Ahsoka's mind. She was running down the corridors now, her breaths coming and going in short pants despite the fact that the room she was looking for wasn't far off. With each nearing step, her heart pounded a little louder in her head; the pain grew a little sharper until the rug under Ahsoka's feet were blurring, and then she found the doors to the Council chambers.

Without even a second of consideration, Ahsoka flung herself through the doors. "Anakin," she gasped, and she found Anakin standing by the windows, his whole form lit by the sunset behind him. Ahsoka was first struck by the red rimming his eyes, the sharp streaks of what could have only been tears down his cheeks. Hair messy and sweat-matted, as though he had just woken from a nightmare. Lips bloodless, eyebrows furrowed in confusion as Ahsoka crossed the Council chambers in one, five, ten steps.

"Ahsoka?" Anakin only just got to say before Ahsoka wrapped her arms around Anakin, tugging him close to herself. She couldn't tell who was shaking more—Anakin or herself. But Anakin was shaking, Ahsoka could feel the tremors in his hands as they settled around her shoulders. And Ahsoka was shaking too, because suddenly she was hearing Maul's whispers in her head again, groomed to Darth Sidious' apprentice, but no, Anakin was here. Right in front of her. He was here, and they were both here, and everything had to be better.

Ahsoka felt Anakin's head drop down to her shoulder, and that was when she relaxed. "Hey, Snips," Anakin said, his voice raw. "Where've you been?"

Ahsoka let out a laugh that sounded a little more like a gasp or a sob. She hadn't meant it to sound like that, but Anakin didn't seem to mind. "I was going to ask you the same thing," she said, and she was about to withdraw from Anakin, look him in the eye, but he suddenly held fast, his arms wrapping tightly around Ahsoka's middle. Ahsoka let out the faintest squeak of surprise, but then she felt Anakin's shaky breath against the crook of her neck, and she knew that oh, they weren't about to let go just yet.

"What happened?" Ahsoka asked quietly, her eyes shifting out the window. The sky had taken on a brilliant shade of red, the kind of bright red before the sun would fully set below the horizon. "What's wrong?"

At first, Anakin didn't respond, and Ahsoka was worried that he wouldn't say anything at all. But then Ahsoka felt an intake of breath, and Anakin was slowly pulling away from Ahsoka, his face still haggard, eyes still bloodshot and tired. Ahsoka looked up at Anakin, her chest tightening at his expression. He looked lost, pained. What happened?

"I'm not a good Jedi, Ahsoka," Anakin said at last, his voice just barely above a whisper.

Darth Sidious' apprentice, Maul whispered.

Shut up, Ahsoka thought.

"What do you mean?" Ahsoka asked. Anakin's hands were still shaking.

"The Chancellor," Anakin started, and then he stopped. "He's Darth Sidious. The Sith Lord's everyone been searching for."

So Maul was right about that. But that didn't mean he was right about everything else. Ahsoka only looked up at Anakin. "He is?" she asked, trying to keep her voice level. "How do you know?"

"He told me," Anakin replied. "And he—" His face twisted, and he looked away from Ahsoka sharply. "He promised me things."

Ahsoka swallowed. "What things?" she asked.

Anakin looked at Ahsoka, his brows furrowing. "Don't make me tell you," he said, pained. "You won't—"

"I won't what?" Ahsoka asked, her voice just barely brushing on desperation. She reached for Anakin's sleeve, his arm. "Please. Anakin," she said, her eyes searching Anakin's face, "look at me." Anakin's eyes trained on hers. Tired blue eyes. Ahsoka remembered a time when they were bright, lighter. Shone with something that weren't tears. "You can trust me," Ahsoka said, begged, pleaded. "Please. Just tell me what's wrong."

For a moment, Ahsoka was afraid that Anakin would turn away. Bruh her hand away from his arm. But Ahsoka kept her gaze steady on Anakin's eyes, and then Anakin bowed his head. "He promised he would save her life," he said, his voice low. "That she wouldn't die—" He looked back up at Ahsoka, his face pulled taut. "I keep seeing Padmé die. Every night. Always the same way—screaming, crying, and I'm not there to help her—" His voice cracked. "I can't save her, and I can't save the child—"

"The child?" Ahsoka repeated, her heart sinking at the look Anakin gave her. "Oh, Anakin…" She let go of Anakin's arm, her own hand settling back down at her side. She should have known. She had known, of course, about Anakin's fondness for Senator Amidala. The quiet looks he gave her, the fascination with her safety, the soft voice he seemed to take only with her. But now Anakin was looking at Ahsoka as though she might slip right between his fingers, and Ahsoka wondered exactly how long the nightmares had been plaguing him.

"I'm sorry," Anakin said at last. "I shouldn't have—"

"No," Ahsoka said firmly. She caught Anakin's eyes, gave him a small smile when they finally met hers. "We'll save Senator Amidala," she said. "And we'll save your child." Lowering her voice, she added, "But the Chancellor can't. He won't, if he is who he says he is."

Anakin's face twisted again, and he started to turn away, but Ahsoka's hand shot out, grabbing for Anakin fast. His face still turned away, he said, "I can't let them die."

"You won't," Ahsoka said. "We won't. Anakin?" She took a few steps around so that she was directly looking up at Anakin. "We won't let them die."

For a moment, neither of them said anything. And then, brows furrowing, Anakin asked, "So what's the plan?"

Ahsoka smiled. "You tell me," she said. "I'm just bringing the enthusiasm."

Anakin's lips twitched and nodding down at the chirping comm at Ahsoka's wrist, he said, "I think you've graduated past just enthusiasm, Snips."

Later, when asked to recount the events of defeating Darth Sidious during a press conference, Ahsoka would only be able to recollect the vaguest of memories. She would remember the disgust at seeing Palpatine's shriveled form from Windu's attack, and she would remember Rex standing beside her, blasters at the ready. She would remember the shouting and the stomp of boots, and then she would remember Anakin's hesitation—she would remember Palpatine screaming about saving the senator, and then she would remember how Anakin looked at her then, and she would remember how Anakin would turn back to the Chancellor—Sith Lord, whichever, whatever—and say that he didn't need a Sith Lord to save anyone.

Ahsoka would remember the sudden flash of light sabers, the blaster bolts, and then Palpatine was lying dead in front of them, nothing more than a corpse of burns.

She would remember that much of that night, but there were other memories that she would hold onto more dearly: memories of how Anakin had sank straight into Ahsoka's and Rex's side, everyone stumbling out of the Senate Building to face the night. Ahsoka would more distinctly remember a battered and bruised looking Obi-Wan rushing for the Senate Building, his own tunic scorched and riddled with light saber slashes, his face smoke-streaked but relieved when finding Anakin and Ahsoka. Ahsoka would more distinctly remember how Padmé close behind, dressed in maternity robes and looking just as relieved, thunderstruck as the heroes staggered out to the front of the building.

And most of all, Ahsoka would remember how they all rushed for each other. She wasn't sure if it was Anakin and herself who moved first, or if it had been Padmé and Obi-Wan, but they were all suddenly running for each other, and then Ahsoka remembered the clash of warm arms and staggered breathing and so much relief—

And she would also remember Padmé suddenly letting out a sharp yelp, and at first there had been some laughter because perhaps they were all squeezing a little too hard, but then she was saying, "No, it's not—Anakin, we need to—"

And then Ahsoka would definitely remember how Anakin's face had gone white, and then she would remember how Anakin looked at Obi-Wan, his mouth opening and closing and lost for explanation before Ahsoka would yell for Rex to get medical personnel—and Anakin would still be stammering out some kind of halfhearted "Padmé-and-I-are-married-and-she's-pregnant-and-I-know-this-is-bad-timing-but-", and then Ahsoka would remember the exasperated look Obi-Wan gave Anakin, and then: "Anakin, for the love of—go help Padmé!"

And Ahsoka would remember the look Anakin gave Obi-Wan, the wide smile and the sudden crushing embrace Anakin had dragged Obi-Wan into, and Ahsoka would remember how Obi-Wan had looked stunned, and then Ahsoka would remember Padmé saying, exasperated, "I'm glad you two are finally working this out, but—"

"Right, right, right," Anakin had said, and then he had disentangled himself from Obi-Wan and, cheeks flushed and eyes bright, he had shouted for more medical personnel, and then Padmé had been heaped on a stretcher, and Ahsoka had watched as Anakin and Padmé were whisked away.

Ahsoka remembered the silence, and then finally Windu asking in the background, "Was that…?"

And then Ahsoka remembered Rex laughing lightly beside her, and when Ahsoka looked at him, he said, "Looks like the general's hands will be full for a while."

Ahsoka remembered smiling back and turning back to the Coruscant skyline. Yes, she had thought. Their hands were going to be full for a while.

A/N: I'm really excited to begin this project! Chapters will be updated every Monday.

As always, reviews/constructive criticism/follows/favorites are always appreciated! (Or if you just wanna cry about TCW, that's okay too.)