To Lose a Gamble

Epilogue

Two days later

Despite his exhaustion, Anakin is filled with impatience as he stands inside the hanger bay at the Temple, waiting for Ahsoka and Rex to arrive with Maul. The last few days have been a complete whirlwind, with Padme and Bail presenting evidence to the Senate of Palpatine's treachery. The political system is in shambles, and everyone now knows of his marriage. At least Anakin has always been a media favorite, or the news reports wouldn't be nearly as favorable as they currently are.

Telling the Council, about his marriage and what happened on Tatooine, was the hardest, but all discussions about his actions were put aside in favor of keeping the Republic from collapsing altogether. Besides, Yoda had apparently already known or suspected about the Tusken massacre, so he stressed that it wasn't important. For now. Obi-Wan had forced him to detail the incident, and they'd talked about it and how Anakin felt for a couple hours, while Padme sat with them, mostly silent except for the occasional comment.

"Ahsoka!" Anakin calls, as his former Padawan walks down the ramp, relief at seeing her alive and well crashing over him like a tidal wave.

Her face visibly relaxes when she sees him, and she all but flies down the ramp, hurling herself into his arms. "Skyguy," she breathes, hugging him so tightly that his ribs hurt. "When Maul said... I've been so worried about you."

He hugs her just as firmly, rejoicing in the fact that his sister is finally with him again. "It's been such a mess," he agrees with shaky laugh. "I don't even know what's going to happen now."

"Well, I can tell you one thing!" she chirps, pulling back to beam at him. "I – I've missed fighting with you, and I only realized how much when I went to Mandalore." She either doesn't notice Rex and the others bringing Maul's cage down the ramp or doesn't care. "I want to rejoin the Order, and I want you to finish training me."

Anakin's heart practically stops at her words. "You're... coming back?" he repeats incredulously, staring at her in shock.

"Yes, that's what I just said," she agrees, grinning. "Now can I have my Padawan braid back or do you have to talk to the Council first?"

He gives her a mock glare before withdrawing the string of beads from where he's been keeping them. As he passes it to her, he avoids her gaze, bracing himself for a teasing remark about attachments. She says nothing, taking the beads and reattaching them, a look of understanding in her eyes. They stare at one another for a moment before Anakin smiles. "Let's go," he murmurs, turning and heading into the Temple, Ahsoka finally at his side once more.

***

One week later

Anakin has a headache, and only now can he properly appreciate how Obi-Wan feels with all the Council work he has to do. The galaxy is a mess, and the more they investigate, the deeper the web goes. A Death Star. Sidious had plans for a Death Star, a moon-sized monstrosity with the power to destroy an entire planet. Anakin is so glad that the Sith wasn't able to complete it, but now, they have to find it. At least it can't be completed even if the construction has begun. The clones have already begun searching. Hopefully, it won't take them years to finish, but soon enough, they'll all be given citizenship and allowed to go about their lives as they wish.

And on that note, Anakin was more than a little disturbed when they learned of the inhibitor chips inside each clone's brain. Fives was right. Anakin should have listened to him. The orders were nothing short of terrifying, especially Order 66 which, if given, would have, no doubt, destroyed the entire Order.

It takes a moment for Anakin to realize that Yoda is speaking to him, because he's tired, for one, and his head hurts and why did Palpatine make such a big mess and not even have the courtesy to clean it up for them? "Finished training a Padawan you have not," Yoda is telling him, "But giving you the rank of Jedi Master, we are. Shown great strength you did when destroying Sidious." Well, alright then.