Brotherhood

Chapter 41 - Bonding

Author's Note: Enjoy this little bit of fluff as a reprieve before things get worse. :')

~ Amina Gila

"She's dead." Dooku's words hang heavily in the air, and Ahsoka finds it difficult to understand what she's hearing. It doesn't make any sense.

"What happened?" Anakin reacts first, expression grim. From the look on his face, it's clear that he already recognizes the implications.

The Count hesitates, expression somber. "I think Sidious ordered Offee there personally. Mina Bonteri was murdered in her sleep. You two should go visit her son. Give him my condolences, while I prepare a statement. The Senate voted that the Republic be condemned for its use of the clone slave army. Bonteri's death will be blamed on the Republic."

"At least we won't lose too much from this tragedy," Anakin murmurs, turning and gesturing to her. "Come on, Snips. Let's go pay Lux a visit."

He remains silent on the way there, and Ahsoka wishes that she was able to better gauge his mental status. Ever since he talked to Padme yesterday evening, he's been quiet and moody, something weighing heavily on him. It's hard for him to be apart from her for so long, Ahsoka knows, and she wishes there was a way for her to help him.

Lux is sitting on a bench under one of the trees in his backyard when they get there. He doesn't look up, head bowed, as he stares fixedly at the ground. "I'm so sorry, Lux," Ahsoka whispers, taking a few steps closer to him. She intuitively understands that Anakin would prefer not to talk. Besides, when they came here last, Anakin was with Dooku while she had spent the time with Lux. They're not friends exactly, not yet – they haven't known each other long enough – but they are more than simple acquaintances.

The teenager switches, finally raising his head to look at them. His eyes are distant and bloodshot, and she can see his exhaustion clearly. "It wasn't your fault," he replies numbly.

Ahsoka exhales slowly, sitting down next to him, feeling a sharp pang of guilt from Anakin through their bond. He blames himself then. Unsurprising. If not for his – their – attempts to help the clones, this might never have happened. They would never have realized that Padme and Siri had come, and hopefully, no one would have realized Padme had been in contact with Mina. Or maybe not. Padme could well have – foolishly – related everything to Sidious herself.

After a long moment, Anakin moves to sit next to Lux, resting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I cannot relate to your pain," he says, voice quiet, soothing, "But I do know that I would burn the galaxy itself to the ground if something happened to my mother." It is not a very reassuring admission, at least not for Ahsoka, but then again, she isn't the one who lost a parent.

She can feel grief and sorrow flare into the Force from Lux, so she moves closer, offering him her silent, unyielding support. "Why did this happen?" he asks, voice lost and hopeless. "What did – what did she do to deserve this?!"

"Nothing," Ahsoka says firmly. "She did nothing to deserve this, but there will always be people who seek to silence the voice of truth. She spoke out against the use of clones, and the Republic killed her for it. It would look really bad on them to be violating their own anti-slavery laws. Oh, and Count Dooku sends his condolences," she adds, as an afterthought.

Anakin nods. "He's planning to speak out against the Republic's actions and fulfil your mother's last request by condemning the use of clones."

Lux sighs heavily. "I wish it felt like it was worth it," he mumbles, rubbing his hands over his face. Ahsoka wraps an arm around his shoulders without a second thought; it's always been difficult for her to feel others in pain, and that's especially true now that she's with Anakin. It's strange – and more than a little amusing – that a Sith has been able to teach her such compassion.