ɪᴛ's ᴏᴋᴀʏ... [ᴇɴɢʟɪsʜ ✓]

18. Hope

Anakin had recovered from his initial shock in a few minutes, as much as was possible at the time.

But that was only due to one thought. An attempt he had to bring his apprentice back to life.

Only he had to hope she went along with it. Oh, what was he thinking? Of course she would make it, she was strong, would keep fighting no matter how hopeless it was.

"Kix", his voice sounded strong as he called the clone back, though he had never been so unsure of anything himself.

The addressed turned back and came towards the general kneeling beside Ahsoka. "Get ready to tend to the wound immediately and get the poison out of her body!" he was instructed by him.

"I don't understand, Sir-" he continued, but was immediately interrupted by Anakin.

"You don't have to, just do it!", the Jedi hissed.

Kix retrieved the needed items and then watched Skywalker. He, like Rex, had no idea what their general was up to.

Anakin gently placed his hand over Ahsoka's face and the other carefully on the still open wound.

"Please Snips, come back", he whispered before closing his eyes and focusing on the still slightly moving blood in her body.

Rex continued to look silently at the Togruta in his arms, through the few tears in his eyes that he could no longer hold back.

Kix could hardly believe his eyes as the girl's body began to glow, the blood from the wound once again a vibrant, bright red. Her eyes now closed completely, her mouth remained open the small crack, but now warm air rushed out of it.

Life energy flowed from the older Jedi through his friend, flooding her battered body, revitalising the dying cells and infusing young strength into her limbs.

The glow fading after a few seconds, Anakin took his hands from her head and the wound Kix was already tending to. He propped himself backwards, exhausted, his eyes resting on his apprentice, whose chest was rising and falling gently again.

"She-", the Medi-clone could hardly believe his own words, "She's stable!"

His gaze flew to his general, who exhaled in relief and let a smile show. And if the man looked closely, small tears shimmered in his eyes again. Tears of joy and easement.

Rex was still too overwhelmed by it all. First her heart had stopped for a moment, then she was actually dead and now she was alive again! He just kept staring at his little one until Kix had her ready for transport.

The Jedi Master and the clones rose, Anakin lifting Ahsoka as carefully as he could and carrying her to the ship. The warmth emanating from her and her pulse becoming regular again, as well as the pleasantly moist breath on his hand, calmed him.

The two men did not leave her side for the entire flight and one of them put his hand around hers unnoticed.

Once in the hangar, she was immediately taken to the medi-station, where Kix could take better care of her and get the poison out of her blood.

Skywalker ran to the bridge while Rex didn't take his eyes off her for a second. Kix didn't manage to shoo his brother out of the room, but at least he kept enough distance to let him work.

Anakin arranged to leave for Lazeret Station immediately, leaving the other three cruisers to deal with approaching Seperatists. Windu was still on Tscheilash, but he wouldn't run away, he was too proud for that. He could still deal with him later, and he was sure of the support of some of the clones.

***

Bright, energising light filled the room where she lay.

Her eyes remained closed, even though she was conscious. Ahsoka merely dozed a little and tried to assign the pain in her body to individual injuries.

But somehow that didn't work, everything hurt her in a strange way without hurting. As if the pain was buried under other feelings but still present.

The moment Anakin entered the room she jumped up, which turned out to be a bad idea. A twinge of a thousand pins and needles stretched across her stomach and down her hip to her thigh.

A not-so-small area next to her left eye was also burning on her forehead. She instinctively reached her hand to the area that felt uncomfortable and sucked in a sharp breath with a wince as she touched the graze.

Anakin placed a hand on her shoulder while she squinted at her wound, still preoccupied with her pain.

"Hey, Snips," he greeted her with a smile and a loving warmth in his eyes.

The girl still looked slightly confused, but gave him a friendly smile as well.

And before she knew it, she was closed in a tight hug by her friend, which gently coaxed a tear out of her.

Her master had been right. It was worth living to keep fighting, to never give up.

And with that, she put her arms around Anakin and let her tears run free, along with the smile on her face that for this moment, nothing and no one could spoil.
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End