"𝙇𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙙."

It took a long time, but Anakin slowly returned to his regular self. The days since Ahsoka left had created a hole inside of Anakin, but I was determined to help him through it. He was slowly coming to the understanding that this was what was best for Ahsoka and that she would find her own way in the galaxy. Anakin was learning to be at peace with her decision.

However, things weren't as great on the war front. With his padawan no longer at his side, Anakin had a tendency to grow bitter. By drifting in and out of conversations with his men, I learned that Anakin's tactics had become more reckless and aggressive. I made a mental note to address this to Anakin later, but for now, we had a mission to complete.

The campaign to free the planet of Ringo Vinda from Separatist control was growing longer than Anakin and the Jedi Masters Tiplar and Tiplee expected. We had been stuck battling it out against the battle droids in a cramped space station for a few rotations now.

Rex stood at Anakin's side as they took down droid forces together. Commander Doom and his unit supported their Jedi as well. As soon as the last wave of droids was destroyed, I stationed some troops to hold our line while the rest took a break. They wouldn't have long.

As my heart rate climbed down from the rush of the battle, I found my own private space to rest. Anakin followed and slumped the weight of his body onto mine, exaggerating the intensity of his exhaustion.

I laughed as I struggled to push him off. "Anakin, stop it!"

"But I'm soooo tired." His eyes closed and he hummed sleepily against my form.

"You better get some energy then, because those droids will be back," I said.

"I like that idea," he whispered. I felt his warm breath fan over my ear making my stomach tighten. His fingers slowly trailed down my hips.

"Really, now?" I tried to sound annoyed, but the high of the battle was still coursing through me and I pulled Anakin closer.

"The Council finally gave you a break from the 212th and I have you all to myself. I am going to take full advantage of this." His lips found my jawline and he pressed lazy kisses down my neck.

A giggle escaped my mouth. "Anakin, someone's gonna see us."

Anakin pulled away and rolled his eyes. "Sil, sometimes I think you forget that I have the highest midi-chlorian count to date. I'll sense anyone who's about to walk in," he said and crashed his lips onto mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck and tangled my hands in his hair as he pressed me quietly against the wall.

The jarring sound of a blaster hitting the floor broke us apart. My eyes widened as my gaze landed on Tup who stood stiffly before us.

I retracted my arms from Anakin and stood awkwardly. Anakin hung his head, looking at the ground thoughtfully before speaking.

"You know, out of all the guys," he began and faced Tup. "I always thought Rex would be the one to walk in on something."

I scoffed remembering how Anakin said he'd be able to sense anyone coming.

Anakin held out his hand and called the blaster on the floor to his grasp. He walked over and handed it to the silent trooper.

"Here you go, Tup," Anakin said. "Be ready to move out soon."

"Yes, sir." Tup nodded quickly and readjusted his grip on his blaster before walking away.

"Good job," I praised Anakin sarcastically.

***

The Jedi decided it was time to push through the droid defenses again. Each of the Jedi took their troops down separate corridors to be efficient. I was at Anakin's side, blasting away at droids while he easily deflected shots and sliced his blade through them.

At this point in the war, I'd fought at the side of a few Jedi and it always felt different. With Obi-Wan, I had a sense of protectiveness. He tended to have hateful enemies who were after him personally. With Master Plo, I felt like a student. He hardly ever took me for the Ranger I was, an aid to the Jedi, but as another person in his ranks who still had so much to learn about the world. And Anakin was all fun. I never found myself looking up to him, but instead at my side, always ready to brighten up the darkness in any situation.

The teams converged in a control center in the space station, but we had yet to win the battle. Anakin gave us our positions, sending Fives and Tup to support Commander Doom's depleted forces.

We jumped back into the fight, pressing forward to get to the command post. We emptied a tunnel of droids except for one who peeked behind the wall. I fired at it, but it was no use. Anakin made a fist and pulled his arm in, dragging the droid out of its hiding spot with the Force. I had a clear shot and fired.

I faced Anakin. "Thanks."

"No problem," he smiled and we ran ahead with the men on our heels.

We made it to the main clearing in front of the command post. The other Jedi arrived with their forces. It was a peripheral mess of blaster fire and explosions. The battle was going well until a sudden horde of destroyers appeared. We were being quickly overwhelmed and I didn't understand why.

"We've lost our momentum. Fall back!" Anakin ordered.

I glanced to the side to see Master Tiplee carrying away the limp body of her sister. A gasp caught in my throat. I was pushed back into reality as Anakin prodded me behind him, away from the firefight.

"This battle is lost, we're retreating," Anakin said to me, not bothering to explain what happened to the fallen Jedi.

He turned to say something to Fives. I told the men to head back to the tunnels and fired on the droids as we retreated back to base. Once we were in a secure area, Anakin went over to see Tup who, to my astonishment, had been the one to kill Master Tiplar. I followed Anakin with concern weighing heavily in my chest. The last time I saw a clone execute a Jedi was back on Umbara. I hoped things weren't as bad as they seemed.

Anakin and Rex interrogated Tup and I stood by silently. The trooper in question seemed to fall into a trance, repeating 'good soldiers follow orders' over and over again. What orders? Who had given him orders?

Tup's blank gaze zeroed in on Master Tiplee and he lunged at her. She held him back with the Force and I held my arms seeing him writhe against the wall. Tup had seemed alright around his brothers, but seeing the Jedi triggered him. Why?

***

The medical transport headed for Kamino that Tup had been on was attacked. Anakin took Rex and Fives to investigate and they managed to bring Tup back. After sending him to Kamino again, the rest of us were on the cruiser headed back to Coruscant.

The energy was winding down and most of us headed back to our quarters or bunks. I had my own designated place to stay, but I wasn't going there.

I tapped a code on a keypad and entered Anakin's quarters. I found him sitting on the edge of his bed looking beyond exhausted. I sat down next to him and massaged my fingers through his hair in hopes of dissolving any tension.

"You feeling okay?" I asked softly.

"It's the whole thing about Tup. It's got everyone on edge," Anakin replied quietly. "Master Tiplee and I informed the Council on what happened. Hopefully they figure it out on Kamino. I don't want this to happen again."

"Neither do I." I felt terrible about a Jedi having to die like this, but I also worried about the clones. Not all Jedi generals were as sympathetic towards their soldiers as Anakin or Obi-Wan were. I didn't want other Jedi thinking these troops weren't loyal or trustworthy. The clones didn't deserve that.

"The guys know I'm still a good general, right?" Anakin asked in a low voice.

"What're you talking about?"

"I'm responsible for my men," Anakin said almost to himself. "When something goes wrong, it's my job to handle the situation."

"Anakin, what's the matter?" I asked feeling very worried. I had never seen Anakin act so unsure of himself. He always seemed so confident and unbothered. I couldn't understand why he was so doubtful of himself right now.

"First, something happened to Tup," Anakin said. "And then, when I took Rex and Fives to get Tup back, I said we should bust into a hangar full of hundreds of droids and several star fighters to get him back. If Rex hadn't brought it up, we would've gone in. Rex and Fives would have died. How had I not thought of that?"

Anakin let out a troubled sigh and stared at his hands wrung together. "What kind of leader forgets about his own men?"

I lightly traced his arm as I thought of what to say. "Anakin, we all mess up sometimes, it's alright."

"But we're in a war," he countered. "When I mess up, people die."

I sucked in a breath and delved further into my thoughts. Anakin may seem reckless at times, but I knew his men held deep respect for him.

"You're obviously doing something right, Anakin," I reassured him. He looked at me puzzled. "You're a kind and understanding leader and the clones appreciate that. They know about your past and it makes you relatable. Think about it, would Rex have told you how horrible your idea to bust into the hangar was if he wasn't so comfortable with you."

"Well..."

"You don't realize it, but it's really hard for a lot of troops to say things like that to their superiors," I said looking Anakin in the eye. "Your men trust you."

Anakin just stared at me for a moment. The only noise that could be heard was the hum of the cruiser traveling through hyperspace. He laced his fingers through mine. "Thanks, Sil."

"No problem," I smiled at him.

"But, like I said back on Ringo Vinda," Anakin said with his regular, lively tone returning to his voice. "I am very tired from that battle and I need to rest."

He fell on top of me and I yelped in surprise. I struggled from beneath him and managed to roll Anakin to the other side of the bed.

"Why do you have to collapse on me every time you're tired?" I asked sitting up.

"It's fun seeing you get annoyed," Anakin said playfully, propping himself up on an elbow.

I smiled and pushed him hard, disbalancing him so he flopped onto the bed again. I crossed my arms and turned the other way.

"C'mere," Anakin said and I felt my body slide against the bed. I gasped at the sudden movement and his arms grabbed my waist, pulling me against his chest. "I like you here."

I giggled at Anakin's behavior and shifted to face him. I saw his bright eyes looking deep into mine. His gaze turned distant again. He asked in a quiet voice.

"Will you hold me?"

I nodded and sat up. I laid Anakin between my legs, his head resting against my chest. I draped an arm loosely around his neck and he held onto it. Warm, comfortable, and safe, the two of us relished the other's presence and drifted quickly into sleep.

***

The days after Ringo Vinda weren't easy. News came that Tup died from a virus. It hurt me to know he had gone out this way.

Anakin had been summoned to an emergency meeting regarding an attempt on the Chancellor's life. I knew I wouldn't be seeing Anakin for the rest of the night so I left the Temple to see Trip and the rest of the guys at the barracks. Eventually I received details of what happened with the Chancellor. It was Fives who had tried to kill him. I couldn't wrap my head around why this had happened, but I hoped Fives was alright.

I left the 212th bunks and headed over to find Kix and Jesse who were also disturbed by the update.

"I don't understand, why would he do this?" Jesse asked.

"Maybe it's the same thing that happened with Tup," I suggested.

"The virus." Kix brought a hand to his chin as he considered the possibilities. "If that's what it is, it seems to make us turn against our leaders."

"Well, I personally wouldn't care if the Chancellor was assassinated," I said quietly.

"Sil, do you know what you're saying?" Jesse asked seriously.

"Yeah I do. I don't care if the Chancellor is the head of the Republic, doesn't mean he's a great guy," I said in a bitter voice.

"What makes you say that?"

I breathed a shaky sigh thinking about how the Chancellor exerted such a strong influence over Anakin. It made my skin crawl.

"Well for one, he has too much control over certain people... like Jedi," I said frowning as memories of the time Obi-Wan had to go undercover resurfaced and Anakin completely ignored the Council, listening to Palpatine instead. What really made me shudder was how Palpatine had been the one to pull Anakin out of Umbara. The one time Anakin had been taken off the battlefield was when a Jedi traitor had been revealed.

"But the Chancellor is trying to end the war and he's always sending aid to planets who need it," Kix countered.

"Yeah, politicians look real nice when they're doing stuff like that," I agreed. "But these big people, these senators." My tone turned dark. "They live it up in their fancy suites in the upper levels watching operas, drinking wine, buying fancy ships, and looking like a bunch of hot-shots. They don't actually care about people who are struggling."

I could see Kix understanding some of my points, but I doubt he agreed with it all. I couldn't blame him. Maybe I didn't know much about what politicians did. But I did know that the reason I came to fight in this war was to help end the slave trade. What I've seen on crime-ridden planets hasn't changed. It's only gotten worse. I couldn't help losing faith in the system that's supposed to be fighting for what we believe in.

Jesse noticed how wound up the conversation made everyone and stretched out his arms. "Well I'm going to head over to 79's," he said with smile. "You should come too," Jesse nudged me.

I agreed. It would be a nice change of pace to head somewhere fun and not think about the galaxy's problems.

We arrived at the bar and pushed past drunken people. We found a spot and sat down, trying to talk over the blaring music. I contacted Trip who said he'd join us eventually. He was busy trying to get Cody away from his reports.

"Are you even old enough to drink?" Jesse asked in a teasing manner.

I most definitely was, but I had something to say as well. "What about you, aren't you like twelve?"

Jesse choked on his drink. "Oh, come on. You know we age faster."

I shrugged and noticed Kix leave for the refresher. I scanned the bar and looked for Trip or Cody. I felt through the Force, searching for anyone familiar. My gaze stopped at a trooper who I knew was not supposed to be here. He was walking discreetly past the bar on his way to the exit.

"Fives?"

He spun around quick, shocked that I recognized him. After all, he wasn't in his regular armor.

Fives turned to walk away and then hesitated. He hurried towards me with a new look of hope replacing his previously anxious demeanor.

"Wait, this is perfect!" a smile grew on his face. "The General will believe you if I can't convince him."

"Whaa..."

"Fives, what're you going on about?" Jesse drew his brows together.

"I've gotta go," Fives said quickly and backed away. "Kix will tell you."

With that, Fives immediately left the bar leaving Jesse and I lost. Kix came back and I asked him about it.

"He told me he's being framed, that there's something endangering all of us," Kix answered staring down his glass.

"Is it about the virus?" I asked quietly.

"I'm not sure," Kix sighed. "But I don't really feel like sitting around at a bar with all of this happening."

"Neither do I," I agreed as a grim expression settled on my face.

The three of us headed back to the barracks. I hung around and kept my comlink on, waiting for any updates on Fives. Kix said that he sent Anakin and Rex to Fives' location. I just hoped everything would come to light.

***

The news was revealed and it was devastating. I wanted to stay with the guys, but they urged me find out what happened straight from Anakin.

I hurried over to the Temple and found Anakin sitting in the common area looking empty. I ran towards him and forced him to look me in the eyes.

"Anakin, why did he have to die? What happened?" I asked desperately. My voice was on the verge of breaking.

His desolate eyes met mine and he told me everything that went down in the warehouse. I listened carefully to what Anakin was saying. I didn't want to miss a single detail.

"So it's not a virus then?" I asked. "Fives said there are chips in their heads that make them do whatever someone wants."

"Yeah, that's what Fives said," Anakin confirmed. "But it can't be true, Sil. He said the Chancellor was the one who did this."

I brought a finger to my lips and considered the idea. It was a stretch, but what if it was true? Fives had told me at 79's that Anakin might believe me. He knew his story was crazy but he also knew there was someone who despised the Chancellor.

"He could be right," I said softly.

Anakin snapped his head towards me. "Sil, are crazy? How could the Chancellor do this? Why would he want to kill the Jedi?"

"I don't know!" I exclaimed. "But why else would Fives attack him? Palpatine must've told him something."

"Or maybe Fives went crazy since he took out his chip like the Kaminoans reported." Anakin appeared rattled by my words and crossed his arms.

"You know what, I have an idea," I said curtly and stood up. "I'll go ask the Chancellor myself what happened."

His eyes followed me as I walked away. I left the Temple and found Anakin running in front of me.

"Sil, what the hell are you doing?" Anakin asked with worry and extreme annoyance in his eyes. But I was even more annoyed.

"You spend too much time with politicians," I scowled.

"And you don't spend enough," he replied and his gaze softened. "Sil, you've only been around for a short time. Before that you were on Tatooine. I get it, people in power scare you."

Anakin struck a nerve and I stayed silent. I kept my gaze down and looked away.

"They should scare you too," I said quietly. "You were a slave once too, or did you forget?"

I met Anakin's eyes and he didn't say anything. I turned around and set eyes on a speeder. I swung my leg over the seat and gripped the handlebars. I felt Anakin sit behind me.

"I'm coming with you," he said and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Cause I know you've got a bad case of itchy trigger finger."

I bit back a laugh, but I couldn't suppress the widening smile on my face. Good thing Anakin couldn't see it.

I revved up the engine and let the speeder lurch forward. Anakin gripped me tightly in surprise.

"Never thought I'd catch a Jedi off guard," I chuckled.

"Congratulations," Anakin muttered sarcastically. "Let's get going."

I left the Temple and made it all the way to the Senate building. I made it far with Anakin at my side, but getting in the Chancellor's office proved to be difficult.

"I need to see him!" I demanded to the guard outside his door.

"The Chancellor is busy with his guests at the moment," the guard replied calmly.

"Wow, a trooper dies and he throws a party. How inspiring," I said and moved to lean against the wall.

The guard seemed to grow annoyed by my presence and asked that I leave, but I refused. Anakin stood by looking amused. The door opened and out came the Chancellor.