Even the Dark Side Can't Take Our Memories

Chapter 17 - For the Jedi

"I didn't mean to do it. I swear, I- Ahsoka, believe me. Please!"

"I believe you." Barriss's shoulders slumped down in relief. "But-" Ahsoka's voice trembled as she slowly lifted her hand. "Even if - even if you didn't mean to - you still did. You still blocked me out, you still-" Ahsoka took a deep breath, regaining her composure. "You still ruined my life. I left the Jedi because of you, Barriss. I left my life because of you!" Ahsoka was yelling now. She knew that her shouts could sacrifice the mission, but she didn't care. Barriss needed to see the pain that she had caused. "I gave you everything." Ahsoka's voice quavered desperately. "And you took my everything." Barriss was shaking, all of the relief that she had just seemed to have fading away.

"I'm sorry, Ahsoka. I'm sorry! I-I had to do what I did, but I swear, I didn't want to involve you, I didn't want to cause pain-"

"You had to do what you did? You didn't want to involve me? Barriss." Ahsoka took a deep breath. "Do you remember that day on the roof? The first time we fought?" Barriss nodded. "You told me that you hated how the Jedi sacrificed innocent, unwilling citizens for 'their cause'. But that is exactly what you did. To me." Barriss clapped a hand over her mouth, her whole body trembling.

"Ahsoka, I - I didn't -"

"The Jedi don't realize it either."

"Please." Barriss took a step forward, closer to Ahsoka. "I-I don't know how it happened. I was used. Taken advantage of. Whoever - whoever did it - they knew that I didn't fully trust the Jedi, but that the Jedi trusted me. They used me as a tool, exploited all of my weak spots. They were trying to crack the foundation of the Jedi, make them lose trust in their own. I need help, Ahsoka. Help me." Ahsoka took a deep breath. She knew that if she were to help Barriss, she couldn't let her love for her get in the way. This was just another mission. No more attachments.

"F-fine," Ahsoka said, struggling to stay stoic. "But only to figure out what's going on. For the Jedi. Not for you." Every bone in Ahsoka's body screamed at her not to say those last words, but she had to. She knew that she had to, in order not to get hurt again, in order to truly save Barriss. "I know that you would do the same for me. In every sense."

Barriss looked at her as if Ahsoka had just ripped her heart from her chest, the epitome of true loss splitting across her face. "Ahsoka, I wouldn't -" Barriss stopped, her breath coming out in quavers. "Thank you." Ahsoka nodded.

"Now, if we want to clear your name, we need to figure out what happened. And to do that, we need to get you out of here," Ahsoka said, going into full business mode. Barriss nodded timidly. Ahsoka pulled out her comlink to get Anakin. Barriss looked a bit shocked at the realization that Ahsoka was not here alone, but didn't say anything. "Anakin, come in. We need two suits of clone armor, stat."

"Coming right up!" Ahsoka smiled. She wasn't sure what she would do without Anakin.

Barely a moment later, Anakin came running up to Ahsoka, two sets of armor slung over his shoulders. "Don't ask how I got 'em," he said in response to Ahsoka's concerned expression. Seeming to completely forget that he had been the one to discover Barriss's treachery, Anakin casually said, "Hey, Barriss."

"Uh - h-hey." Ahsoka awkwardly glanced at Barriss as she tugged on the clone armor, trying not to think about the day of their first kiss. Barriss clearly had the same thing on her mind.

Once they were in disguise, Barriss followed Ahsoka and Anakin out of her cell and down the hall. To any clones that they passed, Anakin said, in a deep voice, that they were bringing Barriss to mealtime - though Ahsoka was quite sure meals were brought to high-security prisoners.

Once they reached the trapdoor where Ahsoka and Anakin had first entered the prison, they each leaped out onto the roof upon making sure the coast was clear. Barriss generally looked very timid and nervous to be around Ahsoka and Anakin. She clearly felt as if she didn't deserve their help, after all of the pain and difficulties she had caused the both of them. "R2? Bring the ship up to the roof."

"Artooey's with you?!" Ahsoka cried in excitement, hurriedly containing it when Barriss looked at her endearingly. "I mean - ah - of course he is." Ahsoka swallowed nervously. She would not let romance interrupt her mission.

Anakin's X-wing slowly rose up to the prison roof's level with R2-D2 in the cockpit. At least, if seen by a clone, this Republic ship wouldn't be too suspicious.

"R2, go get in your place," Anakin laughed. Once the astromech moved, Anakin clambered into the cockpit. "You two can hang on to the top and I'll lower you down to Ahsoka's speeder." The girls nodded, proceeding to hang on tightly to the ship as Anakin lowered them to the ground, keeping the ship level. Barriss went ahead to the speeder as Ahsoka stayed back for a moment.

"Thank you, Anakin. Really. I- I wouldn't be anywhere today without you." Anakin smiled.

"Of course, Snips. You know that I'd never abandon you," Anakin said from the open cockpit. "And... you and Barriss. You were more than friends, weren't you?" Ahsoka's breath caught in her throat.

"You - I - what? What do you mean by - by that? More than friends? What - what would that even entail, hah-"

"Ahsoka, it's okay. And... I'm sorry. I know this must have been hard for you." Ahsoka sighed, leaned in to hug Anakin, and turned around to meet Barriss at her speeder, sparing one last look over her shoulder at her master - she truly owed him her heart.