It was over.

Maul was their captive now. They could leave Mandalore. Everything was settled.

And yet, Ahsoka stood frozen on the beams, trying to remember how to breathe again. Her light sabers, she dully remembered. Maul had knocked her light sabers out of her hands. They were probably some place far, far below on the ground, and Ahsoka knew she should probably go looking for them. She vaguely remembered losing her light saber before. She remembered the fear of how someone could use her light saber, and she remembered that feeling of panic of having to hide that loss from Anakin—

Ahsoka pushed a hand up to her forehead. All this talk about Anakin—from Maul, from Almec—

Lies, she thought. Maul couldn't be trusted.

And yet—

Ahsoka was grateful for the return of the gunship, this time with just Rex in tow. Rex smiled at her, holding up her light sabers.

"You—"

"I had some men looking for them," Rex said. "Luckily, they landed right in front of one of them. Figured you might still need these."

"Always got my back," Ahsoka said, and she jumped to the gunship. She took the light sabers from Rex. "Thank you."

"Of course," Rex said. "Ready to get out of here?"

Ahsoka looked back down at the ruins of Mandalore. Repairs needed to be done. There were still little fires burning across the grounds, bits and pieces of buildings still shattered. "We'll have to make a call to Bo-Katan," Ahsoka said, turning back to Rex. "I'm sure she'll be glad to hear the news about Maul."

"She won't be the only one," Rex said.

Ahsoka managed a small smile at that, although she didn't quite feel it. "Yes," she replied as the gunship took off. "There will be many people waiting to hear from us."

The call with Bo-Katan was brief, as per her fashion. Ahsoka was almost sorry to see the fiery Mandalorian go, but before the call ended, Bo-Katan had looked directly at Ahsoka. "I won't forget this," was all she said, and Ahsoka had nodded at that. She could have sworn she almost saw Bo-Katan smile, and Ahsoka was suddenly reminded of a different Mandalorian, and she saw then that perhaps the Kryze sisters had maybe just one thing in common.

"Where to now?" Rex asked.

Ahsoka looked at him. There were others waiting behind Rex, and her throat tightened. Where to now, indeed?

"Coruscant," she said at last.

Rex tilted in his head into a nod, but Ahsoka didn't miss the smile in his voice as he said, "You heard her. Set us for Coruscant." And as the chorus of "sir, yes sir!"s echoed around the bridge, Ahsoka found herself turning back to the holotable. Coruscant.

"Rex?" Ahsoka asked in a small voice.

"Yes?"

Ahsoka looked at him. "Do you mind clearing the area? I have a call to make."

"Of course," Rex replied. He paused and then, before turning around, he added, "Tell the general I say hello."

"Will do," Ahsoka said, and then Rex was gone, gathering up the remaining troopers around their cluster of the bridge. In just a few minutes, Ahsoka was left alone to the holotable. At first, Ahsoka wasn't even sure Anakin would pick up her call. He could be asleep. Or he could be still on that secret operation the Council had been him up to. Ahsoka's stomach clenched at that. She couldn't imagine that had gone well. And she knew she was right—Obi-Wan's face had told her exactly what she had already figured. And yet, even Obi-Wan had seemed so tired, so quietly desperate for Ahsoka to call—

Ahsoka knew that Anakin and Obi-Wan had their disagreements. They would range from anywhere between keeping a ship tidy to politics to the rules of the Code, and Ahsoka was used to sitting quietly to the side and waiting for the argument to die down. And the argument always died down. They would find some peace eventually, even if that peace was found after some cold shoulders and passive-aggressive remarks.

But Obi-Wan was on Utapau right now. He wouldn't be there to establish peace with Anakin again.

Ahsoka was so deep in her thoughts that she jumped when Anakin's image popped up on the holotable.

"Ahsoka?"

"Anakin," Ahsoka said, relieved. She leaned against the holotable, all the strength seeping from her body. "You picked up."

"'Course I did," Anakin replied, and that was when Ahsoka noticed that even in the hologram, Anakin looked tired. Ahsoka's stomach clenched again. He looked so different since the last time she had seen him. His robes were hastily draped on, his hair matted, face a little smaller from hours of lost sleep. And still, Anakin looked worried for her, with his brows furrowed and eyes already darting across Ahsoka's face. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

No, Ahsoka thought.

"Yes," Ahsoka said. "We've captured Maul."

Anakin's face broke out into relief, and for just that moment, Ahsoka caught a glimpse of what he looked like before whatever mess they were in now. "I knew you would," he said. "He didn't stand a chance."

Ahsoka tried to smile back, not wanting Anakin's own to fade. He looked so tired otherwise. "I can't take all the credit," she said, and Anakin's face softened. Ahsoka wanted to keep him there then, stuck in that moment. And yet, Maul's words kept whispering in the back of her mind—Anakin—

"How are you?" Ahsoka asked then, trying to keep her voice light. "I heard you were successful in saving the Chancellor." And that you killed Dooku.

Anakin's face flickered briefly, and that wasn't because of the hologram. "Something like that," he said. They were silent for one moment, two, three, before both Anakin and Ahsoka started talking—

"I heard—"

"The Council—"

Ahsoka stopped. "You first," she said.

"Seems like you already know," Anakin replied. "You heard something?" His face was expressionless, and Ahsoka wished she hadn't said anything at all. She wished she could go back just a few seconds before, when they were just smiling and concentrating on the brief little victory of theirs—

"Master Kenobi called," Ahsoka said. "I heard that the Council asked you to…" Her voice drifted as Anakin looked away. "I know it's complicated," she said quietly. "And you know that I'm the last person who would ever tell you that the Council is right about everything."

"They're asking me to spy on the Chancellor," Anakin said flatly. "That's treason." He looked up at Ahsoka. "You said it yourself. Now isn't the time for the Jedi to play politics."

"No," Ahsoka said. "It isn't." She paused. "But I also heard that the Chancellor's term has been extended."

"The Senate all voted on it," Anakin said, and even though Ahsoka could tell that Anakin was trying to keep things light, she could hear the tightness in his voice, the underlying argument threatening to rise. "The Chancellor only agreed to the extended term because the Senate put the motion forward. And the Council think now's the time to interfere with the very government that's keeping the galaxy together. I thought you of all people would see how wrong this all is." There it was: the faintest flicker of resentment, bitterness, and Ahsoka knew that they both felt it.

"I'm not against you, Anakin," Ahsoka said quietly.

Anakin's shoulders sank. "I know," he said, his expression sobering. He sighed. "I'm sorry, Snips, it's just—"

"I know," Ahsoka said. "You're under a lot of pressure."

"I didn't mean to—"

"I know you didn't," Ahsoka said. She wished she was actually with Anakin right now, be there in person so he could more clearly see her face. Then, after a beat, she added, "You're a good person, Anakin. I know you…care. Deeply. About the people around you."

Anakin's face clouded over then. "I don't feel like a good person," he muttered. "The Council keeps making me do things—" He cut himself off, frustrated. Rubbing his hands over his face, Anakin sighed. "You don't have to worry about it, Ahsoka. You've got enough on your plate."

"And you don't?" Ahsoka asked. She knuckled her fists into the edge of the holotable. "We're on our way back to Coruscant right now. And Maul…" Her voice drifted. "Maul has information regarding the end of the war," she decided to say. "Maybe the Council will take you off the operation once they're finished questioning Maul. There won't be any reason to do any of this spying anymore."

There was a pause, and then Anakin let out a short, halfhearted laugh. "You're the one with the plans now, I see."

"No," Ahsoka said, her lips quirking into a smile. "I'm the one with the enthusiasm."

She wanted to see Anakin smile back then, but no, his expression was fading back into the one of its former weariness, and Ahsoka suddenly heard Maul's whisperings again, and a pressure started to build in Ahsoka's chest, the pressure that had started since setting foot on Mandalore. "Anakin," she said at last. "We're going to be back on Coruscant soon. We'll bring Maul in. We'll figure this all out soon."

Anakin lifted his eyes up to Ahsoka. She waited for him to say something—anything. But when he didn't, Ahsoka knew that she would be the one to speak instead.

"There's something else," Ahsoka said quietly. "Isn't there?"

A pained expression flickered across Anakin's face, and then he was looking away again, and Ahsoka actually reached out this time, her fingers just barely brushing the hologram, right where Anakin's arm would be. "What is it?" she asked. Pleaded. Tell me. You can tell me.

"I don't…" Anakin's voice was taut, just barely controlled. Then, after a heart-wrenching silence, Anakin whispered just soft enough for Ahsoka to hear, "Padmé's pregnant." He looked at Ahsoka, his eyes wide and tired and afraid. "And I'm—"

Ahsoka's throat closed. Oh, Anakin.

She had known about her master's attachment to Senator Amidala. Of course she had known. The little looks Anakin used to shoot Padmé whenever they met, the small smile Padmé would give to herself when she thought no one was watching. Only a fool wouldn't have known. And yet—

"You're the father," Ahsoka said quietly.

Anakin looked at Ahsoka, and he looked so lost—a look that Ahsoka never thought Anakin was capable of. "I'm sorry," he said.

"What for?" Ahsoka asked. "For telling me a truth?"

"I'm letting you down," Anakin said. "You're not supposed to see me like…" He pushed a hand up to his hair. "This. All of this."

"No," Ahsoka said, her voice cracking. "You're not letting me down. You never can." She forced on a smile, ignoring the warmth gathering behind her eyes. "A child," she said softly. "Do you know if it's a boy or girl yet?"

"No idea," Anakin replied.

"Either way, I bet it'll look like you," Ahsoka said. She tried to laugh, but it came out too quiet for herself to hear, let alone for Anakin. "But you better hope it has Senator Amidala's brains." She had hoped for a smile from at least that, but Anakin looked wearier than ever.

"I keep having visions," he said. "About her. About the child. I don't—" His face twisted, and Ahsoka reached out again, her fingers brushing against the hologram. Ahsoka wished the ship was faster. She wished she was on Coruscant. She wished Maul would get out of her head.

"We'll figure this out," she said. To Anakin, to herself. "Okay? We will."

Anakin's eyes focused on Ahsoka. Then, after a beat, he repeated, "I'm sorry."

A lump rose in Ahsoka's throat. Her chest was too tight. But she smiled. "Don't be sorry," she said. "Just wait for me." She paused. "We still have to catch up, remember?"

At that, Anakin's lips curved into the smallest of smiles. "Right," he said. "Better come back fast."

Ahsoka blinked a few times, Anakin's image blurring briefly before her before she could focus again. "Of course," she replied. "I'll see you in a bit, Skyguy."

And then Anakin smiled back, and then he was gone, and Ahsoka was left alone on the holotable.

Ahsoka let out a breath.

They would get to Coruscant soon.

And then they would fix things.

A/N: Might have listened to 'Lose You to Love Me' 10,000 times while writing this fic, but after the latest episode, I was,,,in my feelings. I promise I'm going to be writing something happier as we get closer to the season finale, because I am not ready to confront ROTS yet.

In the meantime, though, reviews/favorites are greatly appreciated. Or let's just cry together for a hot second. Whichever comes first.