Hymn of the Gods

Chapter 8 - You're My Head, You're My Heart

Author's Note: This is the end! I hope y'all enjoyed the story! :D:D:D

~ Amina Gila

Ahsoka has never been as relieved as she is when Anakin and Obi-Wan tell her that the Separatist fleet has been destroyed, with Dooku and Grievous on board. She's fixed Kamino, too, and there are no traces left of the battle that had been fought down here, save in memory. She could not, of course, undo what was done to the Republic Star Destroyers that were in orbit. The lives lost there will be remembered, but at least the war might be over. They finally have a chance at ending this conflict, and she is so very relieved.

She is tired of fighting, tired of the war and struggles and grief. She is tired of it all, and knowing that it might finally be over is... She's so, so thankful. She's thankful that they went to Mortis, that they got these powers. Maybe they will have to leave, at least for a little while, but they did it. They ended the Clone Wars.

Well, hopefully.

The Council listens in grave silence as Anakin, Ahsoka, and Rex tell them what they uncovered about the inhibitor chips. Obi-Wan is radiating a thinly veiled rage, and Ahsoka brushes against him again to share her Light with him and soothe his Dark. They accepted themselves, though, and the physical manifestations of it will never fade. They are different. They are changed. They are other, and that is not something they will ever be able to hide again.

Maybe it's best like this, she doesn't know.

She, Anakin, and Rex are asked to leave the room while the Council deliberates, and they go, waiting outside.

"Ahsoka."

She turns to Anakin when he calls her name, sees the uncertainty etched onto his face, and immediately goes to him. "Master, what is it?"

"I – I'm sorry," he says, swallowing, "I never asked you if you wanted this. I chose this for you because I couldn't let you go. I couldn't bear the thought of you being – and I agreed to what the Father said without thinking about how you might feel."

Ahsoka stares at him, surprised. She... never even thought about it that way. It's never bothered her, maybe because she's the embodiment of Light. It feels right. It's what she was always supposed to be as a Jedi, so why would she mind? Sure, she might not want to leave everyone, to go away to a different place for a while, but as a Jedi, she always knew her life wouldn't be easy. It was still what she wanted to do.

"I'm not upset," she assures him, but then, another thought crosses her mind. "... Are you? I know you and Master Obi-Wan accepted this for me, but is this – does it upset you, what you are? What he is?"

Anakin jerks. "No," he answers immediately, "When we were there the first time, the Father asked me to stay and take his place. I think – I think I was always meant to get this power. Maybe not now, but eventually. You know they call me the Chosen One. I..." He trails off, huffing a little bitterly. "The Council only agreed to train me because of my power. I never believed that I was really different. Special. I never wanted to be. I just wanted to be... accepted. But I can't deny now that I am different. It's – this has made me accept a part of myself that I never did before. That's not a bad thing. I can do... so much more now. We can remake the future into something better than whatever it was meant to be before."

"Do you really believe that?" she asks, curious. "That we can make a better future? Will it really be better?"

He purses his lips thoughtfully, staring into the distance as though seeing something she can't. "Yes," he replies eventually, "I chose to believe that it will be better this way. We're giving the clones a chance, a life, freedom." He glances meaningfully toward Rex. "That's not nothing."