Ahsoka Tano - Undeserving

10

Anakin awoke slowly, with the name 'Ahsoka' still on his lips. But soon his memories came flooding back to him, and he shot up and looked around wildly. Captain Rex practically jumped out of his seat next to the bed he was so alarmed by the Jedi's sudden movements. "Sir! Kriff, you scared the light out of me!"

The Jedi gave Rex a slightly wild look, alight with panic. "Where's the kid? Where's Master Krell's padawan?" He asked urgently, swinging a leg over the side of the bed. It looked as if he was in his own quarters aboard the Venator, which meant Ahsoka should be back as well.

"Whoa, easy Sir." Rex stood up and held out a hand, partially in caution and partially to help Anakin stand as he knew the Jedi was determined to move. "You got hit hard in there."

Anakin ran a hand down his face, scowling at the dried blood flecks and dust that came with it once he removed it. "You're telling me." He muttered. "How bad am I?"

"Not terrible, just some lacerations and bruised ribs, and a cracked shoulder blade. Nothing a night in the tank won't fix, but until then I need to you lay back down or I'll be forced to get Kix."

The Jedi stared at Rex, wondering if he was serious. When the captain didn't budge and Anakin was too exhausted to argue, he relented and sat back down onto the bed with a sigh. "Can you at least tell me how she is?"

The pause that ensued was much too long for Anakin's liking, and the panic set back in. Force, if I got a padawan killed...

"...It's critical, Sir." Rex finally declared solemnly. "She lost a lot of blood and punctured several organs. We're en route back to Coruscant now so she can recieve more care."

"How far are we?"

"We should be dropping out of hyperspace soon." Rex helped Anakin lay back down, easing his torso down due to his shoulder and ribs. "But until then, I suggest you get some rest."

Anakin gave Rex a halfheartedly teasing glance. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you could do Kix's job for him at this point."

Rex smiled lightly. "All part of the job, Sir."

"What's the job, keeping me alive?"

"More or less." The captain began exiting the room with another promise that they'd be landing soon and he'd be transferred to the Halls of Healing. Anakin was only able to nod, the exhaustion and adrenaline crashes from before getting to him and pushing him almost violently into sleep.

===

Anakin was awoken much too soon, gently shaken by Kix. "Sir, we have a stretcher here for you. They're going to take you to the Temple."

The Jedi gave an exhausted and wordless nod, barely able to move himself onto the stretcher because every single muscle in his body was either too weak to move or so sore he could barely move. Nevertheless he made it on, and watched above him as the lights flashed by. Soon enough the Coruscanti sun bombarded him and he squinted, passing in and out of consciousness. The first flash he felt was being on a speeder, the wind whipping past his face. It felt refreshing. The next flash occurred after he was in the Halls of Healing; he saw Obi-Wan's concerned face and felt a healer's hands clean his facial wounds. But after the healer gave him a sleep suggestion, he was out for good yet again.

===

Before Anakin was fully conscious, the first sound he heard was the gentle hum of the lights around him. He instinctively stretched out with the Force to determine if any danger was lurking nearby as he did when he awoke most mornings, but sensed only the calm and light nature of the Jedi Temple. Along with the strong presence of his former master.