When You Come Home

-46-

"What deal did you make with Maul?" Anakin jumped straight into the questions, leaning forwards on the root he was sitting on so he could see Obi-Wan better. He had won the battle of insistence, refusing to leave Mandalore without at least some answers to his boundless questions. Moonlight still filtered through the leaves, though it was a fading. Morning was coming, but not for a while. They had the cover of darkness to make a start on the inevitable conversation.

But just because he had won the battle didn't mean Ahsoka and Obi-Wan had agreed to any terms. They had only conceded to him sticking around a little longer.

"Why does it matter?" Ahsoka asked uncomfortably, winding her finger around her loose braid. "Isn't it more important that you get to safety?"

He might have won this battle, but he evidently hadn't won the war.

"Like I said," Anakin said as patiently as he could, "knowing these answers is worth the risk. I need to understand what's going on, so I can make the best decision for myself and my men."

"Spoken like a true soldier," Obi-Wan murmured, rubbing his shoulder.

Anakin wasn't sure if that was meant as a compliment or not, so he ignored it, instead directing another question at Obi-Wan. "Okay, if that's such a secret, where did you learn to fight so well? I have a healthy respect of my own limitations, but I was no match for Maul. If you hadn't been injured, I think you might have beat him."

Ahsoka glanced at Obi-Wan uneasily. This was becoming a habit.

But this time Obi-Wan spoke for himself, before Ahsoka interjected. "I took some intensive training courses a few years back." He looked steadily at Anakin for a moment, as though deciding how much to disclose. "When I met Maul first, I was no match for him. I wanted to make sure that if we crossed paths again, that wouldn't happen anymore."

"Mandalorian self-defense classes must be pretty extreme," Anakin commented, fishing. If Ahsoka glanced at Obi-Wan again ....

She did. Her blue eyes were wide, but her mouth shut tight. She was fidgeting, bouncing her knee unceasingly.

"I could be wrong," Anakin started slowly, "but you two hadn't met before I knew Ahsoka, had you?"

Ahsoka's eyes darted to Obi-Wan again.

"Because," Anakin continued, "it seems like you both know something I don't. And if that's a secret between you, that's fine. But if it has to do with me, then do I have a right to know?"

"We can't really talk about it," Ahsoka mumbled.

Anakin sighed softly. "That was all you needed to say. But —" he cut himself off, struck by a memory. He and Ahsoka were walking back to camp, here on Mandalore, several weeks ago. He had just had a brush with Maul when Ahsoka saved him.

"We don't talk about the Jedi." She had been nervous. She wouldn't meet his eye.

Anakin's eyes widened as the connection dropped into his mind. This couldn't be true. It couldn't! He had to be wrong. Even if he tested his theory, he probably wouldn't get a favorable response. But he had to try.

"You're both Jedi." He stated bluntly, plainly, and somehow entirely devoid of every emotion he was currently experiencing. He looked from Ahsoka to Obi-Wan. Neither looked at him.

"We don't talk about the Jedi," Ahsoka muttered.

"That's what you said last time!" Anakin exclaimed. "You two are Jedi! How? When? Why? I guessed that you were a Jedi," he indicated to Ahsoka, "but you?!" He stared at Obi-Wan in disbelief. "What happened?" Then he added, much quieter. "And why didn't you tell me?"