The Clone Wars: One-Shots

Take Heart

A/N: This wasn't a Tumblr prompt, more like an assignment for a fic exchange on Ao3 with my pocket friends! I didn't know where else to put it so yeah haha in here it goes.
For renegadeontherunn (shwifey my beloved)

Ahsoka rolled her shoulders back as she strode through the halls of the Jedi temple, blinking the dust out of her eyes. Padawans and knights stared at her, whispers flooding the air, but she didn't pay any attention to them as she headed for her destination, just wanting to feel safe. She didn't want attention, she just wanted the peacefulness of her privacy, where no one could bother her or ask questions, or anything like that.

Just hours ago, she was on the planet of Wasskah, living to survive and running like prey under the cover of leaves and trees. She had lead Jedi padawans her age through the forest, and although two of them made it back safely, one still died.

She still remembered the bolt ripping through Kalifa's chest and her promise to keep O-Mer and Jinx safe, just seconds until she was back on the move, leaving the Jedi's body to rot.

Jedi weren't supposed to die like that. There was always a funeral to honor what they have done.

But this war didn't provide that anymore.

Jedi wouldn't die peacefully, or when the Force came to collect them from their age, no. Their life could just be extinguished with a bolt, a flick of a lightsaber. Kalifa's bright future had been slaughtered just for the Trandoshans' entertainment.

Her fists clenched at the unfairness of it as she punched in her door code a little harder than necessary. Anakin had quickly led her to the Halls of Healing with the other two padawans, and they were all malnourished and dehydrated with infections forming on some of their injuries.

She was now finished with her checkup, but she still felt dirty, the blood under her nails adding to her feeling of filthiness. She had scrubbed alright, she had washed her hands so many times, trying to get rid of the grime but every time the faucet turned off, it was as if she didn't wash her hands at all. It was as if someone was still watching her from the shadows, it was as if she was still back on Wakksah, it was as if-

It was as if she wasn't even here at all like this was just a dream of hers, like she was still in the tree with O-Mer and Jinx with no one coming to their rescue. She shook herself out of her stupor as she slapped her cheek lightly, bringing herself back to reality.

She was here. Everything was alright. She was safe.

And yet, she couldn't help her paranoia that was growing. Her door opened and she immediately stepped inside, whipping around to close it in record time.

"Snips? You alright?"

Oh. Anakin was here. She thought he would be at a meeting, or maybe stay in the Senatorial apartments.

She turned around to face her master, who was sitting on the couch with a datapad in his hand, his eyes scanning her in concern.

"Ahsoka?"

She nodded quickly, flashing him a smile.

"Yep. The healers just said I needed some rest and told me what food I needed to eat to get back in shape. Luckily my wounds just needed some bacta, but I think the others need to stay there a bit longer."

"That's good then," Anakin replied, nodding his head in approval, but not before he looked back up at her again. This time, it felt like he was staring into her soul, like he could see every dark secret and fear she was hiding.

"How 'bout mentally?"

His tone was light-hearted, but she could hear his undercurrent of worry in his question.