In the End {1}

xxii: The Locket

Ahsoka had no idea how much time had passed since it happened. Minutes, hours, days—she didn't care.

She took a deep breath and tried to steady her breathing. "Thanks, Rex." She picked her head up and wiped some of the tears away. "I should contact the Jedi Council and tell them that..." she couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.

"Already done," Rex said. "Jesse took care of it."

She mustered a weak smile.

As if on cue, the door opened, and a few familiar faces joined them. Rex helped her to her feet, and she stood to face them.

"Masters," she greeted, slightly bowing her head out of respect.

Her focus was immediately drawn to Padme, who had turned a sickly pale upon seeing her fallen husband. Ahsoka could tell she was putting on a brave face for the Jedi, but deep down, she was just as broken as Ahsoka.

Obi-Wan stepped forward first and knelt down beside Anakin. Ahsoka new this was going to be hard for him, too. Anakin and Obi-Wan had one of the tightest bonds Ahsoka had ever seen in Jedi. They were like family.

He said nothing as he closed his eyes bowed his head.

"Did you catch the murderer?" Master Windu said, breaking the heavy silence, "or was he allowed to escape again?"

Master Windu was very good at many things; compassion to his subordinates was not one of them. Ahsoka didn't need to be a Jedi to feel the icy glare Rex shot Windu, clearly communicating for him to back off.

As much as she hated to admit it, Windu did have a point. This was going to be an ongoing problem for her unless she caught Nyx. She was beginning to understand why Obi-Wan had such a personal issue with Maul.

Revenge wasn't the Jedi way, but Ahsoka wasn't bound by those rules anymore. Never before had she so badly wanted to take a life, and it scared her. She could really use Anakin's guidance right now.

"We're going to figure this out, Commander. I can promise you that," Rex said.

Padme took a few steps forward in front of the small crowd of Jedi. "May I speak to Ahsoka alone for a minute, please?" she asked. Ahsoka was impressed by how calm and collected she sounded.

Ahsoka stood in silence until it was just her and Padme that remained.

"I'm so sorry, Senator. I failed, and because of that, they're dead. It's all my fault. And now your child is going to have to grow up without a father."

She wondered for a moment if Padme had told Anakin about her pregnancy yet. Had he even known what was at stake for him?

"It's not your fault, Ahsoka. I'm sure you did whatever you could and then some. We both knew the risks this war brought to the Jedi. This was always a possibility." She sighed. Ahsoka could sense that her brace face was beginning to crumble. "I just didn't think it would be this soon," she sniffled.

She bent down next to her husband and brushed the hair out of his face. She placed a hand on his cheek and began to cry softly.

Ahsoka sat down next to Lux and held his hand between her own. There had been so many things she wanted to say to him, but now, that chance was gone. She didn't even get to say goodbye.

"I love you," she whispered softly, gently squeezing his lifeless hand. "And I miss you."

There were a few more minutes of silence. Both Ahsoka and Padme paid their respects to the men they loved and tried to find solace in the fact that their deaths had been quick.