The Force Will Guide Us, Together (Anisoka)

Chapter 20 - The Road Lies Before You

Anakin sped through the crowds of Jedi, whether they were training or conversing, he didn't care if he interrupted them. He could only think about what Ahsoka said to him back at the Jedi Council room. Anakin spotted a glimpse of Ahsoka's white and blue Montrals at the main entrance drifting further and further distant, so Anakin urged onward with the wind dragging him back ever so slightly. The legs of the Jedi Knight worked to keep up with his mentality of advancing forward, but it felt like he was being magnetized to the ground.

"Ahsoka, wait! Ahsoka, I need to talk to you!" Anakin yelled. The breath in his voice was exhausted and coarse. The voice propelled outwards towards the temple pillars making an eerie vibration. He desperately reached his arm out, striving to grab hold of her before she pivoted and stood to listen to him.

"Why are you doing this?" Anakin questioned, his hands on his knees to catch his breath. Anakin's emotion was in such pain that Obi-wan could sense this inside the temple. It encased around Ahsoka, suffocating her like she was trapped inside a trash compactor.

"The council didn't trust me, so how could I trust myself?" Ahsoka criticized. Her eyes in gradual pain after glancing into Anakin's, so she avoided him and turned to her side facing him. She began holding doubts about leaving but was soon made sure by Anakin's following sentence. She never wanted to hurt him, but she also didn't want to hurt herself in the process to make one person happy.

"What about me? I believed in you. I stood by you!" He retorted, convincing Ahsoka that she wasn't neglected to fight for herself. What Anakin didn't remark was that Ahsoka became emotional. Hurt. Disappointed. Abandoned. Her most trustworthy friend double-crossed her. Anakin didn't help enough. Her father figure, Plo-Koon, did nothing.

"The Jedi Order is your life. You can't just... throw it away like this. Ahsoka, you are making a mistake." Anakin argued. The moment he noticed her eyes closed in agony when the words 'throw it away,' Anakin knew that maybe this would get her to stay.

"Maybe. But I have to sort this out on my own. Without the council... and without you." Ahsoka replied as they both turned away from each other. Ahsoka attempted to use her force bond on Anakin, but it still wasn't working. She was hoping it would this time around, but instead, Anakin slightly surprised her.

"I understand. More than you realize, I understand wanting to walk away from the Order." He admitted, reminiscing when Anakin told Obi-wan he wanted to leave but didn't allow him. This time Anakin wanted it to be different from Obi-wan, and decided to let Ahsoka go.

"I know." She affirmed. Tears began to fall as she walked away from him and into the streets of Coruscant, but then, she was halted by the Anakin's Force.  Caught off guard, she would hear a sentence that will remain in her heart throughout her life.

"Don't go..." He paused.

"I'm in love with you." Anakin professed under his breath.

For a couple of seconds, their bond reunited, and everything in their minds poured out to one another. Their thoughts. Their emotions. Their love for one other. Words and sentences jumbled up together.

"Stay with me." - Anakin

"Why are you leaving?" - Anakin

"I'm sorry." - Anakin

"Who should I trust?" - Ahsoka

"Come with me." - Ahsoka

"I know." - Ahsoka

Then only a few seconds from that odd occurrence, their bond severed again.

Ahsoka paused dead in her tracks as she let her tears flow freely down her peach-tinted skin. She contemplated whether she would proceed to the streets of the unknown or turn around to hug Anakin's warm embrace and tell him everything she felt. Ahsoka loved him, but she wasn't sure if he and Padme were together or not. If he was, she wouldn't interfere, and as much as she desired to tell him that she loved him back, it was reckless. She couldn't. No, she wouldn't do this to Padme after all she has done for her during her trials of the bombing, so Ahsoka headed for the city's underworld.

•◊• 10 Minutes Later, Anakin's Chambers •◊•

"Anakin! Where are you going?!" Obi-wan reprimanded, staring at Anakin hurriedly packing all his belongings into a bag. Anakin promptly moved inside Ahsoka's chamber and collected her compass and holo-communicator she didn't bring with her.

"Are you even listening to me?" Obi-wan added, shocked at Anakin's distressed look.

"Where do you think I'm going? I'm going to find Ahsoka." He grunted, annoyed at Obi-wan. Anakin didn't know why he was here. He didn't help Ahsoka or him at all.

"Don't get your feelings in the way. Ahsoka needs time to herself. You need to let her think things through." Obi-wan demanded, attempting to calm his companion down.

"Listen here. You didn't even help Ahsoka, and if I was in her place, would you even try to help me? Besides, I already know what she wants." Anakin recalled. She told Anakin what she needed when their bond briefly connected. There was nothing more she wanted than having Anakin be right by her side.

"Know about what?" Obi-wan questioned, following his partner to the docking bay. Anakin ignored his bombardment of questions while prepping his speeder and finally handed his lightsaber to Obi-wan.

"Take my lightsaber. I'm leaving the Order." Anakin admitted. Anakin has already made his judgment. He had enough of the council's dishonesty and felt unworthy of Obi-wan.

"Anakin!" Obi-wan shouted as he slightly launched his speeder forward. After trying to get his point across to a brick wall, he gave up."Hear what she has to say," Obi-wan added. Although he was not going to hinder his former Padawan, he understood that Anakin would come back. He believed that Ahsoka would reason with him into staying in the Jedi Order. Obi-wan observed his former Jedi fly off into the metropolis horizon, not sure if he was ever coming back or not.

Appearances (In Order): Nozabuiba (Cantina Owner, Neimoidian), Hawk (Clone Pilot, GAR)

Timeline: Right After Season 5's "The Wrong Jedi"

Visual Pictures (In Order): N/A