A/N: This is a story about Anakin and Ahsoka's friendship. This is written as platonic. It will integrate in direct events from Season 7, with the slight twist that Anakin is there. I am trying very much to stay in character, although there are some differences from canon:

-Padme and Anakin aren't a thing. Therefore, they're not married and it's not a factor when Anakin leaves the Order.

-Anakin and the Chancellor aren't that close. Though of course he still trusts him.

-Anakin doesn't struggle with anger issues as much. I know this technically makes him less susceptible to the Dark Side, but I really liked the compassionate hero that he's portrayed as in The Clone Wars.

My hope is that this story will be realistic enough and in character enough that in another world, this could have been canon. So, I will do my best to not make anything a stretch for either of these characters.

Also, this will be largely dialogue and facial expression driven, since that's the level of depth we see in the canon episodes. Action scenes will kind of just be summarized.

For a frame of reference, Ahsoka is currently 17 years old and Anakin is 22 years old. In this chapter, they look like they did in S5E20. In later chapters, they look like they did in Season 7.

"Ahsoka, wait! Ahsoka, I need to talk to you." Ahsoka, slowed her pace and turned to face her former master. Anakin sighed and asked, "Why are you doing this?"

"The Council didn't trust me, so how can I trust myself?"

"What about me? I believed in you. I stood by you!"

"I know you believe in me, Anakin, and I'm grateful for that." Ahsoka looked to the side, unable to meet Anakin's eyes. "But this isn't about you. I can't stay here any longer, not now."

"The Jedi Order is your life. You can't just throw it away like this. Ahsoka, you are making a mistake." The words didn't come out quite right to Anakin. He closed his eyes, trying to understand. Was it a mistake?

She mustered up the courage to face Anakin. "Maybe, but I have to sort this out on my own, without the Council…" She couldn't bear to see his heartbroken expression any longer. She turned away before continuing, "…and without you."

Anakin waited a few moments as Ahsoka began to walk away. He sensed the Force shifting, clouding the future. What was to come? Something felt wrong, not with Ahsoka's decision but with the Order.

"Wait!" Anakin cried out once more. Ahsoka turned to look at him, tears in her eyes. She wasn't sure if she could bear to see the hurt on his face again.

Anakin walked up to her hesitantly, as if he wasn't sure what he was about to do. He placed his hands on her shoulders and bowed his head. Ahsoka looked up at him in confusion, unsure what to expect.

"I…I agree with your decision…" Anakin began, lifting his head. Ahsoka's eyes widened in shock. Anakin continued, "I don't think it's safe to stay with the Order, after what they did to you." His expression softened. "And I…I don't think I should stay either." The words hung heavy in the air.

"Wh-what? But, you're the…" she stopped herself. She knew Anakin didn't like to be called the Chosen One, but that's the name that had stuck.

"I know, I know," Anakin said. "Or so they think I am. I'm…I'm not sure about that myself." Anakin held his head. "It's just that…" What exactly was he saying? "The Jedi aren't who I thought they were. They've gotten things wrong before by mistake, but this time… they intentionally turned their back on you. It wasn't by accident. They only expelled you from the Order because they didn't want to lose face with the Republic." Anakin felt more certain of himself. Since catching Barriss, he had been so worried about losing Ahsoka, he hadn't been able to think clearly yet.

Ahsoka nodded in agreement. "The Jedi Order isn't what I thought it was. But you still have a place here, Anakin. Maybe even a chance to help change it." She didn't want him making this rash decision because of her.

"This isn't the first time I've thought about leaving the Order, Ahsoka." Anakin said, as if reading her thoughts. "I don't think that people who claim to be peacekeepers should be leading a war. But I wasn't brave enough to try to make a new life for myself. But you're fearless, Snips. I think it's about time I started taking a lesson from you."

Ahsoka was taken aback. Her former master wasn't one to admit being afraid often. "I had always considered this my home. But everyone who I thought had my back turned a blind eye," Ahsoka rubbed her shoulder and hung her head in sadness before glancing up at Anakin and managing a smile. "Well, except you of course."

Anakin managed a smile back. "I knew it wasn't you. I just…I just wish I could've convinced everyone sooner."

Ahsoka smiled back and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Hey, I owe you, you know. Who knows what would have happened to me if you hadn't caught… Barriss," Ahsoka felt her heart sink. Betrayed by someone she thought to be one of her closest friends. Her only friend left was Anakin. And Obi-Wan, though he hadn't done much to help her. She frowned. "Are you sure you don't want to stay?" she asked.

"I am," Anakin replied, his voice full of conviction. "Someone's still gotta have your back." He smirked. Ahsoka smiled.

"I'm going to go let Obi-Wan and the Council know." Anakin started. "They…they should know the truth."

Ahsoka nodded before remarking, "I guess I could hang around a little bit longer." Anakin smiled, before heading off.

Obi-Wan was speechless. He knew that Ahsoka's departure would be hard on Anakin, but to push him to leave the Order? "Anakin, we're in the middle of a war! We need you if we're going to end this war." He had to speed up his pace to match Anakin's.

Anakin had just announced his departure to the Council. The room had fallen dead silent. The expression on the Masters' faces were ones of neutrality, but the worry and shock in the room was undeniable. Mace Windu had broken the silence, "Thank you for the notice, Skywalker. We wish you the best." Anakin bowed and left the room.

Obi-Wan couldn't take it, and he had followed Anakin out the room as soon as it was over.

"I know what you're thinking Obi-Wan, but since Ahsoka was expelled from the Order, I've sensed something terribly wrong. Like we're fighting on the wrong side. That the Jedi are wrong about the Force."

Anakin didn't know quite how to put it, but he felt more sure that his destiny was no longer with the Jedi. He stopped walking and turned to place a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. "I'm grateful for everything, my friend. I know that our paths will cross again, but you know as well as I do that Ahsoka and I have never quite fit in."

Obi-Wan couldn't deny that. The two of them's headstrong attitudes did not sit well with the Council. He supposed it was one of the many things that made their bond so strong. Another thing the Council didn't like. Attachment.

Anakin continued, "We need to figure this out on our own for now, but I promise you that we aren't going to give up on helping others. We want this war to come to an end as soon as it can. But we just don't think with the Jedi is the best place to do it."

Obi-Wan knew he couldn't stop them if they put their mind to something. He sighed, "Just promise me this. You two will take care of one another? I'm glad to know that Ahsoka will be safe with you at her side. And same goes for you. She's the best I know at keeping you out of trouble."

Anakin chuckled, "You know us. We'll be fine." He turned to walk away, before handing Obi-Wan a comlink. "So that we can stay in touch, just in case." Obi-Wan nodded. Anakin paused, before adding, "You take care, too, Obi-Wan." And he was gone.

The Chancellor watched Skywalker and Tano descend the Temple steps. This is unexpected. The Chancellor frowned. If the Force was a pendulum, he had felt it swinging in his favor for much of the past 3 years of this war. Skywalker had shown flashes of his raw power before, most recently in his apprehension of the Temple bomber, Barriss Offee. The raw, unconstrained power had made Palpatine smile. If he could gain Skywalker's allegiance. Then that power would be his. Everything had been falling into place – until now. He paused before smiling. Perhaps this is not entirely unwelcome.

He would let the pair pursue their own adventures for now. It wasn't yet time, and besides, he had his means of keeping tabs on the people he needed to.