When You Come Home

-33-

"We're going to Tatooine." Anakin's voice was bland, coarse from lack of sleep. "You already know that."

"But what am I going to do without you?" Ahsoka's voice was small, squeezed by the grip of anxiety. "When will you be back? What if I never see you again? What if you die? What if I die? Who will look after Omega? Who will —"

"Hey," he interrupted her ramblings, placing both hands on her shoulders as he looked her in the eye. "Hey. You'll be okay. And I'll be okay. We'll figure it out. We'll meet again; I'm sure of it. You're smart, and I'm smart."

"But I don't want to say goodbye," Ahsoka whimpered, big, blue eyes filled with tears. She clasped her hands over Anakin's, fear and grief set alight by the first glimpse of a fiery sunrise. A breath of chilled wind whisked between them, speeding past as it hastened from the goodbye that Anakin didn't want to say either. The cold morning air was wet with the dew that sparkled on the straggly grass of their campsite. This could be the last time Anakin would ever see this place that, for a brief time, he had called home. He should have been used to it by now. This was not the first time he had set up camp, fell in love with it, and then had that torn from him as he was forced to march on. But then, this could be the last time he ever came to Mandalore. It probably would be, in fact. If he wasn't killed before the war ended, then he certainly wouldn't be welcomed back to the neutral territory ruled by the fearsome Duchess. But Ahsoka was tightening her grip on his arm, bringing him back to the realization that it wasn't for him that he should be sad. It was Ahsoka who needed reassurance he couldn't give and love he didn't think he had.

He gazed deep into her eyes, that spark of protection he had never quite been able to address flaring again. He didn't like it when Ahsoka was sad. He didn't want her to be sad. He wanted her to be happy and to be safe. He didn't want to say goodbye, either. So he wouldn't.

"Then we're not going to say goodbye," he decided. "We're going to say 'ret'urcye mhi.'"

"What does that mean?" Ahsoka sniffed.

"It's Mando'a — the native language here. Literally, it translates as 'Maybe we'll meet again.' It's their way of saying goodbye, but it sounds less sad." He offered her a small smile.

She tried to return it, some of the light returning to her dull eyes. "Where did you learn that?"

"Obi— uh, Rako taught it to me. I think he learned it off his Mandalorian girlfriend. We used to say it to each other all the time."

Ahsoka nodded, brightening up even more. She stepped back to salute Anakin. "Ret'urcye mhi."

Anakin was impressed she had remembered the phrase perfectly. He returned her salute. "Ret'urcye mhi."

She giggled, then punched him in the shoulder. "I'll say that to Omega for you."

He groaned in mock dismay. "Oh no! I'm not going to get to say goodbye to my cat! What will I do with myself?"

She giggled again, then dipped her head shyly. "Okay, bye." Then she scampered back to camp, leaving Anakin standing alone, a dark silhouette against the flaming sunrise.

He turned and left the spot promptly, depositing any feelings of regret or confusion behind him. He had a job to do and a duty to fulfil. No matter how he felt about it.

"Awaiting orders, Commander," Anakin saluted Cody crisply.

He nodded once. "Good. Ready the men. We move out immediately."

Anakin saluted again, then found the rest of his brothers, who were waiting anxiously. "Ten-hut!" he shouted, his voice ringing across the silent plain. A resounding clomp of the men standing to attention echoed through the silent plain, then Anakin led off at a brisk pace, drawing in a deep breath as Cody fell in beside him. This would be a long march.