Learning to Live (COMPLETE)

8.12.3

Ahsoka turned to the civilians on the wall. "Is anyone hurt?" she asked, but no one seemed to hear her. They all began cheering and murmuring, pointing at her and coming up to thank her. Flustered, she accepted the thanks quickly and tried to move through the crowd, looking for people who had been wounded and were still on the ground. Everyone seemed to be all right, though.

The only real scarring had happened on a few children, less than ten years old. They were clinging to their adults and still crying, most of them. She knelt down as close as she could get to them and tried to make eye contact with them. "Don't worry," she soothed them. "They can't hurt you right now."

One of them, a little human boy, looked over his father's shoulder at her. "Are you a superhero?" He asked her, and she giggled just a little bit.

"No, but I know how to fight when I have to," she told him.

"She's a war veteran!" Someone behind her shouted. She turned and saw a woman pointing down at her arm. It was then that she remembered she was wearing her jacket, the one with the emblem on the shoulder.

"You've fought in the Clone War?" a male asked, and the crowd quieted to hear her response.

Well, it wasn't like she could deny it. "For a few years, yes. I haven't recently, though. Come on," she beckoned the children before anyone could react to her answer. "Let's get everyone outside. Clone troopers will be here any minute to clean up the mess."

At the mention of clones, all questions were forgotten. Customers picked up their personal belongings and employees put a few things away before scurrying out of the door. Sure enough,  a squad of clones was already booking it down the street. 

Ahsoka was escorting an elderly woman out when she saw them. She guided the lady to the side so she wouldn't accidentally get trampled, and turned to face the clones. They didn't see her, though, and went right into the restaurant. Just as well, really. She needed to find Granger.

She scanned the crowd and found him easily. She forgot how convenient the Force was at times. Walking over, she was relieved that he hadn't gotten hurt either. He ran up to her and stopped with his hands on his knees, out of breath.

"Took you long enough," he complained, taking a second to breathe.

Ahsoka looked around at the people fleeing the building. "Sorry, but I had to make sure everyone was okay."

He waved his hand. "No, not that, I meant the thugs. For a second I thought we might actually die."

"You weren't the only one," she commented, staring down at her own hands. She could still feel the Force flowing through her, but it had calmed down and it felt stable. Like a balance with equal weight on each side, and was resting in equilibrium.

Granger noticed. "Is something going on with your...Force..thing? I could have sworn that it...I don't know, turned on...back there, but I couldn't even tell that is was off."

"It's complicated. After I lost control in the shop, I stopped using-" she froze, then looked down at him. "You felt it? You felt me reconnect with the Force?"

"Is that how you're supposed to say it?" he asked, not waiting for an answer. "I mean, right before the guns exploded, I just...had this feeling, like...almost like a generator turning on inside of you, and the only thing I knew was that I needed to back up, stay out of the way, you know?"

Ahsoka knew exactly what he was saying but did not speak. Her face must have given something away, because he asked her, "What?"

His voice startled her out of her trance. "Sorry, it's just...most people can't feel the Force at all. Maybe..." she sat down to explain. "I'm a Force user because I can manipulate and control the Force, to some extent. You can't control the Force, but you might be Force-sensitive. It seems like you can feel the Force, even if you can't control it."