Ahsoka watched them walk. First they exited from the Senate building, then turned towards the small set of gardens off to the side.

Creeping along an adjacent wall, she squinted as irritation filled the Force. Tentatively lowering her mental shields, Ahsoka allowed herself to ride the Force's waves, but stayed withdrawn just enough to avoid detection.

A nearby building was casting a shadow from Coruscant's evening sun, and she ducked beneath it, allowing it to mask her from view.

Anakin Skywalker was gesturing wildly with his hands, half-snarling at Obi-Wan who only looked back at him with a blank expression. Ahsoka felt tension in the air as the latter folded his arms, mouth beginning to turn downwards into a frown.

She was too far away to hear them, but the powerful waves of emotion radiating off of Anakin spoke volumes.

Ahsoka closed her eyes, remembering all the times she'd watched and listened to her Masters converse. Of all the things she missed after her departure from the Jedi Order, it had to be that...

A shadow, subtle, but strong interrupted her thoughts. Blinking, her gazed locked onto Anakin.

That's new.

Her former-Master looked exhausted and worn. Worry bubbled in the pit of Ahsoka's stomach. How much of that stress and fatigue had been caused by her choice? How long had he grieved for her? What had happened?

She tried to push away the guilt, but found it bitter and unwilling to move.

The shadow twisted again, followed by a white-hot thread of rage.

Ahsoka's heart quickened. No, that felt wrong, so wrong.

Obi-Wan seemed to be pleading with Anakin now, both of them becoming more animated. Then Anakin's face twisted, a mask of sadness crossing over his features.

Grief.

Her former-Master's lip curled and all of a sudden the Force was alive with dark, unrestrained, roiling pools of pain and anger. Ahsoka shuddered, watching as Anakin unleashed this terrible rage onto the other Jedi. She felt each word down to her core, a punch to the gut for everything that had started this terrible argument...

Then it was gone, and she marveled at Obi-Wan who stood there, taking the attack calmly and without emotion.

Ahsoka felt a lump rise in her throat.

Anakin let his arms drop, fists clenched at his sides. Shoulders hunched he turned away, snapping something over his shoulder before marching back towards the Senate building. Obi-Wan reached out after him, seemingly frozen.

Ahsoka had never felt her former-Master ever be so violent in his emotions, especially towards Obi-Wan. It was true that their fights were quite rough, and that she had-more than once-been forced to mediate between them...

But never this bad. This felt different, very different.

And then Obi-Wan's hand fell to his side, an unfamiliar expression crossing his face. Ahsoka blinked, squinting. This was something that she'd never witnessed before. Defeat.

This is Master Obi-Wan... Not any other Jedi... it's him. He's never just admits that he's lost...

Even to Anakin.

Ahsoka watched Obi-Wan Kenobi stand there, in place, for what seemed like hours.

Hurt began to bleed into the air, hanging over the gardens like a shroud, as the remaining Jedi turned and continued walking through the neatly-trimmed bushes and flowers. Hands clasped before him, eyes unfocused, his presence seemed to vanish into the Force as his legendary self-control took over.

Emotion constricted Ahsoka's breathing, her heartbeat loud in her ears.

The Force was crying, like a child grieving softly where no one could hear them. Each moment she crouched there, watching, a small icy dagger dug deeper into her heart.

I did this.

Ahsoka hadn't heard a word, but she didn't need to.

This was my fault. I left them...

Just being near them was enough to tell her that things had changed. In her apprenticeship, the Force would sing whenever the two Jedi came close to one another, as though their bond was that of family-brothers. And she had always rode on that presence, in awe of its power and strength. It had seemed ageless and indestructible.

Now...

Now, Ahsoka had felt none of that power. No connection. No song. It was like something had come between them, placing a wedge in a once strong relationship.

Obi-Wan's retreating back soon disappeared from view. Ahsoka desperately wanted to follow, to throw her arms around the man that had helped her learn and grow, to comfort him and let him know that he wasn't alone. But something kept her back, holding her to the shadows.

Around her, streetlights began to flicker to life, pulling Ahsoka out of her thoughts. Small orb-like lanterns bobbed among the bushes, reminding her of glow-beetles from Naboo. Here and there, Senate guards guided high-ranking couples among the flowers and greenery, happiness written on their faces as they walked hand-in-hand.

Ahsoka looked down at her own palms.

How long had it been since she'd last held a lightsaber?

How long had it been since she'd held Anakin's hands, gently pushing away her future as a Jedi?

Reaching out in the Force once more, she tried to sense her former-Grandmaster. Maybe she could catch up to him, maybe-

But the Force gave its answer.

He was gone.