Sᴏᴜʟᴍᴀᴛᴇs [ᴇɴɢʟɪsʜ]

[short] "I Left"

What if Ahsoka went to Padmé for emotional support after leaving the order?

A knock on the senator's door made her look up.

She was about to exclaim 'come in', but then remembered locking the door to get some peace and quiet after this exhausting day.
So she put her data pad away, which was showing the sick vote count of Ahsoka's trial, stood up and trailed toward the door.

She didn't expect who she found outside in the corridor.

"Can I come in?" she asked in a whisper.

Padmé needed a moment, then - of course - nodded and said "Sure, Ahsoka, please do come in."

The Togruta slid past her into the comforting appartement, keeping her gaze low. She obviously avoided looking her friend in the eyes.

Ahsoka stood before the open front of the building, staring somewhere the senator couldn't tell with her mind probably being somewhere off this world. Silence fell over the room once again, despite the gain of people.

Padmé strode to her desk, leaning on it and waited. She wanted to give her counterpart the chance to start telling by herself. But Ahsoka didn't.

After some time the woman wondered. So she spoke up nevertheless.

"How can I help you?" she lightened the silence in a soft voice.
Ahsoka lowered her head and looked past her shoulder, tears streaming down her cheeks and her eyes screaming with pain.

Padmé's smile faded into a worried expression as she slowly approached the hurt Togruta.
"What's wrong? What happened?" she asked gently, laying her hand on Ahsoka's arm, facing her.

"Talk to me"

The girl looked at the ceiling, trying to regain control over her body, but the tears wouldn't abate. She sucked in the air, trying further to calm herself. It worked at least a little.
Still the words trembled out of her mouth, reflecting her heartache from losing everything she knew and cared about.

"I left," she stumbled. "I left the order"

Realisation and understanding bloomed in Padmé's eyes. Also guilt flooded over her, she felt so sorry that she had not been able to help her better.

"I just... I just couldn't-" Ahsoka didn't know how to express herself. She expelled her breath in despair.
The woman beside her reassuringly ran her hand over the younger one's back.

She took a deep breath and managed to utter a clear sentence. "He looked so aggrieved," she said, faintly shaking her head.
Without needing a name outspoken, her friend new who she meant. Her Master. Former Master. Anakin.

"He'll understand," Padmé argued. Soka looked at her. "Doesn't make it easier, does it?"

Silence fell over them again, the woman still calmingly rubbing the back of the Togruta.

"What're you planing to do now?" the woman asked after a while.
Ahsoka shrugged. "Don't know."

"You wanna stay here until you do?" Padmé offered.

"No," the answer came certainly. "I already told Anakin that I have to sort this out on my own, that excludes you, too."

Softness washed over the senators face. "I understand," she breathed, struggling at the thought of maybe not seeing her friend for a long time, "Good luck."

Ahsoka couldn't help but smile to herself as a certain bearded Jedi also know as her grandmaster came to mind. Former grandmaster, she reminded herself painfully.

She still preferred Anakin's teaching, therefore simply said "Thank you" with genuine love in her eyes.

With little steps she approached the door, Padmé stayed were she was. The entry slid open, Ahsoka slipped through, into a new life she never thought she would need to live.