This is a Star Wars AU, more or less a rewrite based on this video: /watch?v=WAov5pHDvQY

I'm going to try avoid redoing most scenes in the movie and show since it's basically the same and do more "behind the scenes" stuff.

Main change: Anakin and Padme never fell in love, but they are still good friends, almost on the level of siblings. No Padme hate here.

Rated T for Violence, Strong Language, and Eventual Implied Sexual Content

This is eventually going to be an Anisoka story, so don't read if you don't like it. For the most part, their bond will be platonic {but very deep, loving, and intimate} and non-sexual until Ahsoka turns 18. So... Slow burn warning, I guess.

I plan for this to be a very long story, so please enjoy the ride.

P.S. I don't own the Star Wars franchise. It is the product of the mind of George Lucas and the property of Disney.

Tatooine

22 BBY

This is where he was born. And, he realized as he crumpled in front of his mother's grave, this is where he died too. Anakin dug his fingers into his scalp as the tears streamed down his face. His mother, the last tie to his past, his last connection. Severed by Tusken Raiders. Raiders that he slaughtered. Without mercy. Without compassion. Men, women, and children.

Even then, he knew it would haunt him for the rest of his life.

His companion, Padme, hovered behind him, a gentle and calming presence behind him. He inhaled, muttering his apologies to his mother. With each word, his volume rose until he was screaming to the heavens. To the blue Tatooine sky. To the Force. Who the fuck knew? He was just screaming.

Padme pulled him into a hug, but even the comfort of one of his closest friends wasn't enough to quiet the torment inside of him.

Christophsis

22 BBY

"Our cruiser is finally back."

Anakin turned to Obi-Wan, his lips quirked into a small smile. The war raged on around them, background music for the past year. Ever the peacekeepers, the Jedi sided with the Republic, a system that had long since supported and loved them. "Time for some reinforcements," the newly appointed Jedi Knight rubbed his hands together in anticipation. They'd held off for as long as they could, but even the Jedi lose sometimes.

"Looks like all of our problems are solved," Obi-Wan huffed out a small laugh. "Fresh troops, new supplies, and perhaps they brought my new Padawan with them."

"You really think it's a good idea to bring a Padawan learner into all of this?" Anakin questioned with a quirked eyebrow.

"I spoke to Master Yoda about it..." Obi-Wan glanced at his long-time friend and former apprentice. "You should put in a request for one. You'd make a good teacher."

Anakin burst out laughing and shook his head. What kind of ideas went through Obi-Wan's head sometimes? "No thanks," he dismissed his Force brother's suggestion.

"Teaching is a... Privilege."

"You don't sound so sure about that," Anakin smirked at him.

"And it's part of a Jedi's responsibility to train the next generation."

Anakin rolled his eyes, "A Padawan would just slow me down."

They pulled to a stop in front of the cruiser as the hangar door descended. Anakin's eyebrows shot up when a single figure emerged from the ship, a small and young Togruta girl. She looked like a rebellious teenager in her tube top, miniskirt, and leggings. A lightsaber swung back and forth at her side. "A youngling?" Obi-Wan muttered next to him, sounding equally confused.

"And... Who are you supposed to be?"

She stared up at them with wide blue eyes, the color of the Coruscant sky. R2D2 beeped in agreement of Anakin's statement, questioning the presence of the girl. "I'm Ahsoka?" she lifted her shoulders into a half-shrug. "I was told to tell both of you that you must get back to the Jedi Temple immediately. There's an emergency."

She talked with her hands, he noticed. Very animatedly too, throwing her arms back and forth with a kind of energy that only younglings possessed. Anakin glanced at Obi-Wan before turning back to the girl. He mimicked her aggressive motions, "Well, I don't know if you've noticed, but we're in a bit of an emergency, right here."

The Togruta, Ahsoka, crossed her arms, apparently unimpressed by his dramatic display. Obi-Wan sighed, "Yes, our communications have been a bit unreliable, but we've been calling for help."

She quirked a white eye-marking at them. Convenient that they formed the same arch as eyebrows. "Master Yoda hadn't heard from you..." she glanced between them. "So he sent me to deliver the message."

Anakin huffed and flung his arms out, "Oh great! They don't even know we're in trouble!"

"M-maybe-"

He turned towards the girl as she inhaled. "Maybe you can relay a message on the cruiser that just dropped me off?"

That... That wasn't a bad idea. Obi-Wan turned to him with a smug smirk splashed across his features and Anakin rolled his eyes.

A quick message later, many things were cleared up. Anakin found himself a little surprised at the familiarity in which Master Yoda referred to the youngling. Just Ahsoka. When the hologram cut out, Obi-Wan turned to the young girl. "It's time for a proper introduction," he stepped forward and Anakin begrudgingly turned towards them.

"I'm the new Padawan learner," she smiled brightly at the two men. "I'm Ahsoka Tano."

"I am Obi-Wan Kenobi," Obi-Wan crossed his arms behind his back. "Your new Master."

A flash of confusion crossed her features as looked between both of them. "I'm at your service, Master Kenobi, but I'm afraid I've actually been assigned to," she pointed to Anakin. "Master Skywalker."

Anakin blanked. What? What did she say? "What?" a sudden panic set in as he paced around behind Obi-Wan, a habit from when he was a Padawan. "No, no, no, no. There must be some mistake. He's the one who wanted the Padawan."

She crossed her arms over her chest and suddenly, any demeanor of timidness and humility washed away. "No," she shook her head. "Master Yoda was very specific. I'm assigned to Anakin Skywalker and he is to supervise my Jedi training."

Obi-Wan pursed his lips as he looked between the two of them. "But that doesn't make any sense!" he protested.

"We'll sort this out later," his former's master amused expression gave away more information that he likely intended. "It won't be long until those droids find a way around our cannons."

Anakin switched back into soldier mode, something he'd cultivated over the months. "I'll check on Rex and the lookout post."

"You'd better take her with you."

He wanted to throw a temper tantrum, but he was a Jedi Knight... And an adult. That didn't mean he had to respond though.

The Jedi Temple on Coruscant

22 BBY

Home. It amazed Anakin how dependent he'd become on the white walls and columns. The stairs and the private quarters. A moment of quiet away from the hectic moments of war. He approached his door with caution, acutely aware of the Togruta girl hovering behind him. The extra room in his Jedi Knight apartment belonged to her now, it seemed. Her bare possessions had been moved in there. He exhaled through his nose. He'd accepted her as his Padawan, but this would take some getting used to.

For now, there was a ritual to complete.

They entered the room and each, wordlessly, walked to opposite sides of the main lounge.

Anakin settled into a familiar stance, facing towards Ahsoka as she eased into hers. She looked peaceful this way. Her muscles settled into a relaxed state he could only hope to achieve. Meditation rarely brought clarity or peace for him.

Who knew how long passed?

In their apartment, they meditated. Like always, Anakin felt himself tense, a darkness inside of him acute in this state, haunting him. He resisted it, reaching through the Force. Everything thrummed with the energy of the world and he felt a bit more comfortable around the familiar surroundings of his home.

He pushed a little further, dove a little deeper.

Anakin nearly leaped out of his meditative state when he found her. Ahsoka, a bright string of light in a monochrome world. Her quiet gasp echoed through his ears, only just a few feet away, and yet, lightyears of space between separating them. The light reached out towards him and, after a long moment of hesitation, he reached out towards it.

Their lifeforces connected and across the universe, the Force trembled. An unbreakable bond had been formed, deeper than the one Anakin formed with Obi-Wan. It meshed and thrummed with a stable pocket of its own Force.

A grey force.