It's Commander Tano, Not Padawan

Chapter 13

Note: Sorry for taking so long to update. This is mostly just fluff, some angst, and more embarrassing napping moments (because, personally, I think they're hilarious) but we should be heading to Ringo Vinda soon and the mess that that entails.

Dust – she couldn't breathe.

Blood rushing past her montrals and heart bump-bump-bumping in her chest so quickly she thought it would explode.

A general aching in her body, splinters from what was left of the floor above burning in her back. Bruises blooming where she collided with the ground beneath her.

Footsteps – pounding, drumming thunderous footsteps raining – stomping her down.

She couldn't breathe.

One moment fighting with sabers, the next fighting gravity, then –

Then that familiar grey-on-white.

Another family that was no longer hers to claim – "No, Wolffe, let me explain!" But he didn't listen. No one listened.

She couldn't breathe – couldn't move.

The boxes were closing in – suffocating like the air around her.

"Wolffe – No!"

Ahsoka, for the second time in too short a period was viciously ripped out of her memories – nightmares? Her eyes roamed wildly, feeling a weight pressing against her side.

Was it the dust? The crates? The betrayal returning with a vengeance to squeeze the life force out of her once more?

Ahsoka couldn't tell if she was going to retch or not. Her stomach felt as though there was something poisonous was swimming within it. 

But no. 

No, it was that pair of eyes that had never forsaken her, the weight of his comforting presence grounding her – reminding her that the hunt was over.

Ahsoka knew she wasn't safe. She would never truly be safe again. That old world had disappeared the instant the Council decided she was no longer one of their own.

But the hunt is over.

In the dark mirthfulness of her mind, she giggled humorlessly at the reality of her situation. She was no longer playing prey for the Wolf Pack.

"Ahsoka," he said, wearily. Heartbroken.

The attentiveness in his eyes told her more than enough as she stared at him, shallowly gasping for air. Ahsoka's heart was still thrashing, sickening dread seeping heavily out of her stomach like curdled blue milk.

Pathetic. This is pathetic. I'm path -

She collapsed down on her back, arms crossed over herself, staring at the grey slate slab overhead.

"Nightmare?" she asked tonelessly, refusing to look at him just yet. It was evident he had been awake for some time.

The Captain didn't exactly respond but sharply grunt, generally confirmatory.

Ahsoka couldn't help it this time. Chuckling grimly, bitter words bled out of her mouth. "Karking hell, Rex, we're quite the pair, aren't we?" Her nails dug into the fabric of her tunic, cutting at her skin.

She so desperately wanted it to end.

To have the ability to sleep for even the shortest amount of time and not wake up to anything other than the sound of her chrono.