Plot banthas assaulted me yesterday night and I couldn't fight them off. So, this oneshot was created, and I have more coming! Star Wars movies reference made in the end section. Please, favorites are appreciated, reviews are ADORED. Thank you :)

He met her on his very first mission as a Jedi Knight and general. Eighteen-years-old, without a Master Kenobi to have his back, and a band of troopers a bit uncomfortable having to take orders from some rookie general younger than they were. His fighting skills were still at the peak of their ability; but it simply was not enough to save the battle, not when communications between general and troops were still a bit… rusty. The space battle was a flunk, and that's when Anakin found himself falling, Starfighter now nothing but a metal brick soaring towards the ground.

Thank the Force he was handy with the Force – it was merely that skill alone that saved his life. He leapt out of the damaged fighter before it crashed, landing harshly against the merciless ground, sore but alive. Somewhere, in the middle of a vast, strange forest, on a Separatist filled world, with his men somewhere up in space unable to contact or track him.

That was when he saw her for the first time. A little, brown-haired, blue-eyed girl that was perched on top of an old tree stump, just sitting there, staring at him. No older than nine, maybe ten. He sat up, winced as his stomach pinched painfully, breathing heavily, staring right back at her.

That's how they remained for a few moments, before he finally had the breath to call out to her. And she responded immediately, no fear in those blue eyes she hopped off her stump and walked over to him. She sat down about three feet away from him, blinking.

"You're a Jedi," she said simply, voice light and innocent. He nodded. "Yes."

"The metal-men don't like Jedi," she told him, frowning. He nodded again, knowing she meant Dooku's droids. "I know."

And then they were silent again, the little girl staring at his lightsaber, Anakin wishing desperately that his Master – former Master, he reminded himself – was nearby to come and save his sorry butt, just like old times when they had each other to rely on. But he knew that Obi-Wan was all the way back on Coruscant, and that he wouldn't be coming any time soon.

So he turned his focus back to the girl. "Does your family like Jedi?" he asked, hoping that they did, so that maybe he could find some way of communicating his fleet.

"I don't have a family," the girl replied. "They said I'm a bad girl, and sent me away."

She seemed awfully calm about it, but he could see the sadness in her blue eyes. He moved closer to her, and gave the warmest smile he could manage at the time, and slowly stretched out his right hand, and placed it on her knee.

That's when he felt it – the Force flowing through this little girl. She was a Force-sensitive, somehow managing to avoid the Council's notice. No doubt that was why her family had sent her away – which meant they didn't like that she had Jedi abilities. Meaning they didn't like Jedi.

Kriff.

But there was nothing he could do about that now, so once again he spoke to her gently. "Do you like Jedi?"

And this time, she nodded. "Yes."

And he felt himself already growing attached. Blast him and his uncontrollable emotional habits. He tried to fight it off, but then the girl smiled a gap-toothed smile and said, "I like you!" and he knew she'd gotten to him. A little nine-year-old Force-sensitive alone on a hostile planet, and he couldn't help but think of himself ten years ago.

So, as briefly as he could, he told her that he thought of her as a Jedi too, which made her laugh. And then he explained that if he could find some way of contacting his friends, he could return to the Temple, and take her with him – because how could he possibly leave her here to be hunted by the Separatists? Now that idea made her whole face light up, and she began nodding like a bobble-head doll, giggling. "Can I call you Master?" she asked quickly, and even though he knew he was no Master, he said, "Yes."

"And can I be your Padawan?"

Oh. Hm. "Well, you're not a Padawan yet."

"Can I pretend? Pleeease?"

And he couldn't say no, and pretending couldn't hurt (oh, he thought it couldn't hurt) and the pretend Master/Padawan team got to their feet. She grabbed the bottom of his navy tunic and began leading him through the forest, where she said her friend lived, and her friend could get them a comlink. Her friend liked Jedi too, apparently. Now that she was his 'Padawan', she talked a lot – he learned her name, that her favorite color was blue, and that she read all about Jedi from her friend – and she called him Master a lot. And though he'd never considered ever taking on an apprentice, because he himself was a Knight for only three weeks, he thought that she would make a kriffing good one for him. They trekked through the woods, and he began feeling more confident about the situation as time went on.

They arrived at a small, abandoned village. She said that the 'metal-men' had come through and destroyed it, and it was the quickest way to where her friend lived. She walked with buoyant strides, tiny fist still tangled in his Jedi tunic. She asked if he was happy as a Jedi, to which he said yes, and asked if she could hold his lightsaber, to which he said no. She was disappointed, but then dragged him over to an old hut, and found a lost doll that had been dropped during the evacuation, and smiled again. He laughed with her, knew that Padme would adore this little girl, began wondering if it were really possible that he could get her trained. Maybe, just maybe, their little game wouldn't be 'pretend' anymore.

He really liked her.

And teaching her wouldn't be that bad, he decided. Maybe it would actually be fun to have a Padawan of his own. He'd ask Obi-Wan about it, when all this was over.

That's when the first droid showed up.

It was a standard battle droid, and it was over within seconds as he shoved her down to the ground and then threw his weapon at the kriffing thing, slicing it in two.

But then more started coming from all around, a squad on patrol. He could take them, he was sure; but the girl was whimpering and clinging to his leg. So he deactivated his lightsaber, picked her up in his arms, and ran. Ran through the maze-like streets, putting the Force into his steps. But soon, the blaster fire was too heavy for him to just ignore. So he dropped her to the ground, to which she started crying, and he took out his lightsaber.

"Run!" he ordered, his blade a blue light display as he went through the movements he'd trained for at the Temple. "Run, I'll be right there!"

She ran, reluctant to leave him, but knowing how dangerous the metal-men were. She disappeared down an alley, a super-battle droid started following her, and he waved his arms, drawing its attention.

He sliced through the deadly robot with his lightsaber as if the thing were made of butter. And he did the same, no longer having to hold back; and soon, his enemies were scrap metal.

He turned and ran down where he'd seen the girl disappear, calling her name. He found her, huddling behind a large vase, tears streaming down her cheeks. He stopped running, smiled. She smiled back.

There was a one shot. Just a single laser, fired by a single gun, by a single battle droid that appeared out of nowhere.

Just one hit, one wound, in the center of the one little girl. Her eyes widened, and a scream was ripped from her throat. His own scream came minutes later.

"LEIA!"

Then he was running, one had reaching out with the Force and crushing the battle droid, twisting its metal around itself until it crumbled to the ground, all under three seconds. He slid to his knees and got behind her all in time to catch the crimson-stained little body in his arms before she could hit the ground.

She was shaking all over, skin already cold, eyes overflowing with salty tears. He clung to her, calling for a medic, knowing full well he was completely alone. He said her name over and over, "Leia, hang on, Leia, c'mon, you'll be alright." But her body kept getting colder, her eyelids kept drooping lower, her breathing growing more and more shallower. She dies in his arms, slips away into the Force; but he doesn't let her go. He knows she's dead, know what he's holding now is an empty body; but he won't drop her, won't put her down. Kriff his foolishness, for getting attached to this little girl so easily. He looks up, eyes hot and vision blurred, searching for someone or something, anything, to take his grief out upon, like he had upon the sand people when they'd murdered his mother. But there was nothing but demolished droids, they'd have to do. In one massive, second-long pulse of the Force, the droids are disintegrated into tiny shards, except for the one with a comlink attached to its head. Then, he just kneels there, and rocks the little girl, tells her that she'll be a Jedi one day, and yes, he'll be her Master, and she can be his Padawan, and it won't be for pretend, it will be real. All she had to do was wake up. That's all.

Please.

When he returned to Coruscant, Obi-Wan knew something was wrong. He kept asking, asking over and over what had happened. He always said nothing, because in his mind, nothing was wrong. Nothing at all...

Two months later, Obi-Wan actually asks Anakin about taking on a Padawan. That it was good for responsibility, that he would be a good teacher.

Anakin says no. And he continues to say it over and over, to his Master, to the Council, to his men. Makes up excuses, "A Padawan would just slow me down." Doesn't mention the blue-eyed girl from his first mission. Pushes that memory where only he can find it when he's alone.

Captain Rex and the 501st are better men than those he'd had before. They follow his orders, aren't unsettled by the fact that he three or more years younger than them. He's fond of these men, so he tells them too.

He's never taking a Padawan.

Ever.

One year later, he's on Christophsis. He's nineteen-years-old, he has Obi-Wan watching his back, and his men are now undying loyal to their beloved general. When the Togruta youngling appears, he's startled. She's only fourteen, and she's got painfully-familiar blue eyes. But, Obi-Wan's sending him concerned vibes through the Force, so he quickly hides his pain and instead demands to know just who this girl is (because how dare she has her eyes), and what the kriff was she doing in a battle zone? Obi-Wan's concern is placed with reprimand on his bad manners, and soon enough, introductions are passed.

"I'm the new Padawan learner," she explains. "My name's Ahsoka Tano."

So Obi-Wan hadn't been kidding when he said he was taking on another Padawan. He felt a bit resentful at this – didn't his Master know how dangerous it was to bring an inexperienced, innocent child into a warzone?

But then her next words ring in his ears.

"I've been assigned to Master Skywalker."

No.

No, no, no, no, no! He would not take on this Padawan. No! He says so, to both Obi-Wan and the Togruta girl. He would not be training any apprentice, ever. There must've been a mistake.

But they won't admit that it was a mistake. Blast them. Why couldn't they see how bad an idea this was?

His fights a bit, destroys a few droids and a shield generator. And the Togruta girl is still sticking by his side. He says a few harsh words, tries to scare her away from him. Her blue eyes widen, taken aback – blast, those kriffing blue eyes – but she doesn't go away.

He debriefs his captain, and the girl is still with him.

Kriff.

He says more harsh words, talks to Obi-Wan. The girl isn't with him this time.

She's sitting by the side of the road, arms curled around herself, looking hurt and rejected and disappointed.

And something breaks in his determination, because he goes over and sits by her. Silent. Like another time a year ago on a Separatist filled planet in the Outer Rim. The girl doesn't look at him, is too busy staring at the ground while her blue eyes grow moist.

Suddenly, he can't see this girl with his Master, as his Padawan. Because, if she is with Obi-Wan, how could he protect her? Her and her blue eyes and snippy attitude and bright smile and the innocent voice of someone not yet corrupted by war…

"You're reckless little one," he whispers, making one last try to convince himself that he shouldn't do this. "You'd never make it as Obi-Wan's Padawan."

It doesn't work.

"But… you might make it as mine."

She perks up, stares at him, blue eyes wide. Just like the little girl who was delighted that she could pretend to be his Padawan. Only this wasn't pretend. This was real.

This girl, Ahsoka Tano, was really a Padawan to call his own.

He gives her a small smile.

She returns it, and the bond is set.

Three years later, Padme tells him she's pregnant. And he just knows it's a little girl. Padme doesn't know what she's talking about when she says it's a boy, and his name will be Luke.

It's a little girl. He's sure of it.

It's a little girl, and she will be born Force-sensitive, just like him, and she'll have Padme's brown hair but his blue eyes. And her name will be Leia.

And maybe, when she's old enough, she'll be trained as a Jedi too. He'll train her. Just as he'd trained Ahsoka before she had left.

And he'll once again had a Padawan to call his own.

*end*