━━━━ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ━━━━

      ARAMINTA disembarked from the shuttle without waiting for anyone, second only after Anakin as they arrived back in the safety of the Resolute battleship. She hid her shaking knees and the stinging in her senses as she soldiered forward, heading for the medical bay alone as Anakin debriefed with the Admiral, who had met him as soon as they docked.

She could only imagine the scolding he was getting. Only imagine, not stand behind and listen, through her spinning world and spotty vision, her ears dull to sounds she would usually twitch at– she wanted to get far away.

Bane and the holocron were presumed destroyed with the wreckage, but she still felt like she had failed on many, many levels. A terrible part of her, like a child screaming behind a thick wall, nagged at her, wanting to return to the security of Obi-wan's side where she needed only to protect and serve.

"Solarii!" Anakin called abruptly, following her. She ignored him, eyes focused ahead of her. She ignored her bruised wrists, she ignored the blood drying on her cheek and the ache in her wrist beneath the bandage. "Araminta, hey." He had jogged to catch up, placing a hand on her upper arm, fingers gently reaching for her.

Araminta reacted on instinct, smacking him away, wheeling around to look at him with angled features and a scowl. He looked surprised by her expression, holding up his hands passively, staying quiet.

She huffed, turning away. "What?" she asked, not wanting to look at him.

"You can't be bitter you lost to Bane," he said, as if that was what had gotten her so twisted. As if that was why she couldn't stand to look at him and the wounds scattered across her body felt like a collection of failures. Araminta shot him a look, a warning. But he didn't heed it– seeing something else in her. "He used a dirty trick–"

"Stop talking," Araminta hissed.

He did, blue eyes slightly widened as he looked down at her. Araminta looked past him at the clones disembarking from the shuttle, Ahsoka amongst them as she helped direct them to the medbay and check the status of their troops after the near-death experience. Anakin didn't look back, his attention solely on the assassin in front of him.

"All that matters is you're okay," Anakin said.

Araminta paused at the words, furrowing her eyebrows, before she bared her teeth and asked. "All that matters?"

Anakin was unfazed by the hostility. "Araminta, if something happened to you– I would never forgive myself."

She wanted to scream, she wanted to bite down on her lip until it bled and took away from the painful lump forming in her throat. She tried to protest, throwing out a hand in exasperation. "But the mission–"

"Fuck the mission." Araminta cut herself off, staring at him. Anakin was reflecting her inner turmoil now, looking angry. "Is the mission all that counts for you? You almost died."

The words pierced her, more than any other part of the conversation, digging into her and diverting from the swirling thoughts she had been fighting off for the last hour. Anakin's features were twisted now, a mixture of something she couldn't quite decipher except for that he looked upset. At her? Because of her? For her?

Araminta's face softened to something more cautious, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked at him. "Skywalker, what's going on?" she asked.

"You ask me that?" he snapped, gesturing up and down with his hand. "What's going on with you?"

Her face dropped, golden eyes narrowed. "You said it yourself. I almost died. I lost and I almost died. I couldn't save my own life. I failed." She delivered the words like a fact– flat and dull, devoid of the weight they truly carried.

But Anakin seemed to see what she had really been upset about, hurt flashing across his features. "You thought I would leave you behind?" he questioned.

Araminta frowned at the singular pronoun. "Yes."

"Did you want me to?" he asked, sounding confused.

"I don't trust anyone with my life," she echoed, firmly.

Anakin scoffed, and Araminta pulled back at the reaction, scowling at him. She moved off, turning her back to him, but he pursued. "Would you have done it?" he demanded.

Araminta paused at the question, Anakin almost running into her back. She whipped around to him, flinching at how close they were standing. She had not expected him to have been so close. "What?" she asked, dully.

"Would you have opened it for Obi-wan's life?" It wasn't the question she had expected.

Araminta struggled to meet his eyes, automatically replying. "Yeah, but that's–"

Anakin cut in dismissively. "Your mission, your orders. Yeah, yeah, I know."

The assassin scrunched her face up at the reaction. He sounded continually frustrated, and now she knew he was upset because of her and what she was saying.

"And this was different?" she asked sharply.

Anakin didn't meet her eye. "You have no idea," he said, lowly, angling away from her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Araminta snapped, frustrated that she didn't have an idea. She was so used to being able to read him and know what was going on, and this new unfamiliar ground had swept the security of their relationship out from under her.

"Do I have to spell it out for you?" Anakin demanded, turning back to her.

The words irked her, Araminta sneering at him at being treated like she was stupid, whether or not that was the intention. She had felt small enough that day, and Anakin's decision to now act like he was above her after he had shamefully saved her made her angry.

She didn't want to be angry at him. He was the smallest semblance of a true friend she had these days, and he gave her a warmth no one else did. But in that moment, Araminta knew if she stayed she would lash out and hurt him, say something she would regret and didn't wholly mean just to get him to leave her alone.

She was not nineteen anymore, but she was far from perfect.

Araminta inhaled sharply, slowly meeting his eyes. "Whatever," she said, passively, before turning on her heel.

She had made it three steps before he spoke up.

"I couldn't let you die."

The words were quiet, but he knew she heard them as she stopped. Araminta didn't turn around right away, wondering if it was worth stopping, wondering if the pretty words and pleading blues of his eyes were worth keeping the conversation going.

Anakin closed the gap for her, she didn't hear him through her damaged ears until he was right beside her, shoulder brushing her as he gently touched her upper arm. She didn't push him away this time, turning slightly to meet his eyes. She nodded once, telling him it was okay.

"You're too important to me," he said quietly. Araminta's face softened. "You know me better than anyone else, and that's not by accident. You understand, and I trust you with my life. I couldn't imagine this war without you. Ever since what happened on Tatooine– I've known." The hand on her arm squeezed gently. "I would have done anything to keep you alive."

"I'm not worth all that," Araminta sighed.

Anakin's hand slipped from her arm, touch lingering. "You are to me." She almost believed him.

Araminta turned her head away, hanging it slightly as Bane's words replayed in her head. Something cold touched her right shoulder, the ghost of someone she had buried caressing the brand and breathing down her neck.

"If you say so," she said, quietly. Anakin's face dropped slightly at the response coupled with her continued refusal to look at him, and she felt her resolve shake.

If you say so. A knife would have been kinder. A knife would have hurt less and elicited a less visceral response from the person she had come to care for, a person she did not want to hurt or be angry at.

"General!" Rex shouted suddenly. Anakin pulled his attention away from Araminta with a deep sigh, turning to the Captain who was half-in, half-out of their escape shuttle. "There's something I think you should see!"

Araminta looked back at Anakin, but he did not exchange a glance with her as usual, moving off towards the Captain. The assassin hung back, watching the way his shoulders tightened and he walked off with purpose– all her.

She relented and trudged after, moments behind as he entered the shuttle with Rex. Ahsoka ran past her, questioning an injured trooper holding his side limply. Her ears were still stuttering, so she did not catch their conversation as she passed. In fact, her mind was stupidly far away and unaware of her surroundings.

Anakin sprinted back out of the shuttle, glancing around frantically. Araminta stopped in her tracks as his eyes brushed over her, focusing on something behind instead. His mouth opened, shouting his padawan's name, and Araminta had already moved, fingers gripping a throwing knife, one of the few she had left.

The trooper – no, not a trooper – kneed Ahsoka harshly in the stomach, catching her off guard and sending her buckling to the ground. Bane had snuck on board, masquerading in a dead trooper's armour, and Araminta had let it get right past her after everything.

Control, she snapped at herself. Sometimes she needed to heed her own advice and put her emotions to use instead of letting them overwhelm and cloud herself. But the last hour had been a confusing mess of unexpected and unfamiliar territory.

"No excuses," Octavian would say, and Araminta would scrunch her ears shut and grit her teeth while she believed him.

Her knife landed, lodging itself in the chink of the stolen armour where the shoulder met the torso. Bane faltered, reaching for the handle of the small blade as Araminta charged at him, precious metres ahead of Anakin who was passing a fallen Ahsoka.

Bane continued, using the element of surprise to knock away two troopers from a fighter-jet at rest. Araminta was advancing quickly, and as Bane was climbing into the ship he threw the pack on his back down at her.

It was half her size, forcing her to duck and avoid being bowled over, but as she regained her footing she paused. Anakin bolted past her, jumping onto the fighter himself and hitting at Bane, managing to remove his helmet before the top closed over.

Even as Bane took off and sped through the hangar towards the exit, Anakin held on until he couldn't anymore, spinning off. Araminta had turned away, rummaging through the pack tensely. Not even the chance of the holocron haunted her, instead another bomb or threat, but with a sigh of relief there was nothing.

"Admiral, lockdown the hyperspace rings! Hurry!" Anakin shouted as Bane cleared the hangar. Araminta was back on her feet, exchanging a frantic look with Ahsoka at the chance that their efforts and subsequent failure had been for nothing.

"What could possibly have happened since I last spoke to you?" the Admiral asked indignantly.

"It's Bane. Lock those rings now!" Anakin shouted.

But even as Araminta knew the bridge must have been frantic, that the Admiral had snapped to attention and gone silent on the transmission as he barked instructions, she could only watch from the sidelines as Bane slipped through their fingers and into the vastness of hyperspace.

She kept her face still despite the frustration snagging at her, at another failure added to the list that was lengthening that day. She kept her face even as Anakin stiffened his posture once he realised the weight of their failure, Ahsoka standing behind with a defeated expression.

"We'll have to inform the Council," Anakin announced, breaking the tense silence. He wouldn't even look at the assassin as he passed, hands wrung behind his back and head hung slightly.

━━━━ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ━━━━

      THE COUNCIL beared down on Araminta as she stood before them on Coruscant, requested for the debriefing because she had, for once, played a key role. Most of the time she was ousted from them and sent to her room or the medbay before Obi-wan or Anakin caught her up the next time they saw her. But more recently, she noted, she had been included and her presence demanded.

Though this time, she did not feel it was an honour or respect. It was to admit to failure and the role she had played in it after pressing to be included and separate from her core mission.

"It is most unfortunate that Bane was allowed to escape again," Obi-wan said solemnly at their news, Araminta keeping her face fixed firmly despite the disappointed tone.

"And with access to the names and locations of the most Force-sensitive children in the Republic," Windu chimed in, words biting. Another blow to Araminta's ego– that she had let the potential for Octavian being recreated slip through her fingers.

"Inflict devastating damage on the Jedi Order, he could," Yoda agreed.

"We've discovered Bane's working with the Separatists," Anakin told them. Beside him, Araminta and Ahsoka simply knew they shouldn't speak unless spoken to, dwarfed in authority by those around them.

Obi-wan seemed unfazed by the news, only thoughtfully leaning on his hand. "There are thousands of children on that list. Which will he go after first?"

"Small chance there is, through the Force the Council may detect them," Yoda suggested.

"I agree." Obi-wan nodded. He looked pointedly to the padawan in the room. "Ahsoka, dismissed."

"Yes, Master." She bowed and left, Araminta watching her with her eyes until she could no longer do so without moving her head.

"Solarii," Windu addressed, the assassin moving to attention, not knowing what to expect or what she had been called here for. "The Council believes you need to be reminded of your original role here."

Araminta pursed her lips, eyes going to one member of the Council she actually liked and felt she could question without being slapped on the wrist. "What does he mean?" she asked Obi-wan directly.

He looked hesitant to tell her. "After the crash on Maridun and... Bane, the Council feels you are more useful remaining as my bodyguard than independent assignments."

She kept eye contact despite the way her heart beat at her ribs. "Right," she responded.

Obi-wan sighed. "Araminta. It is a matter of enforcement for the time being," he said, in an assuring sort of voice he must have thought would help.

It didn't.

"I understand," she replied.

She did. But her veins burned for her failure, for thinking she would be anything other than a guard dog and that she would get her way when she was who she was. Stupid, she told herself, to have set her own mission separate from her orders. Stupid to have let herself think Obi-wan had respected her past anything but her guard duties. Stupid to think he would after her failures had been acknowledged.

"You're dismissed," Obi-wan said, and she knew he was talking to her even if she was looking at the floor. "I will find you after the meeting is over."

Araminta nodded, knowing her place in the Republic was far from as secure as she would have liked. She supposed she had been getting more respect than she was allowed and that someone would take notice. She did not have the right to be disappointed, even if she was.

Anakin moved as she moved to the exit. "Wait–"

"General Skywalker," Windu cut in. "We still require your attendance,"

Araminta had paused at the door, looking at Anakin warily over her shoulder, the Jedi paused halfway across the room heading towards her. His words in the hangar rung in her mind, and she horribly wondered if he would say something incriminating in front of the few people who could snap him back.

He hesitated, before sighing, pulling back slightly. "I'm sorry," he told her.

Araminta wondered what for. The history repeating she had desperately wanted to stop? The failures that had gotten her knocked down a peg? The shame she felt at needing to rely on him to save her life? Or ultimately that his words in the hangar had torn something new in their relationship?

The assassin could only turn her back and leave the meeting, straightening her shoulders as she focused on the goal ahead and reassessed. Her list kept growing and growing, but she had to do what was necessary, even if it hurt, even if it disappointed.

That had been her rule for twelve years and she would not stop now. She had been made better than this.

━━━━ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ━━━━

      PER HIS WORD, Obi-wan found her once the meeting was over, rather urgently. She had been dismissed from the medbay with only a change of her bandage from Felucia and an anti-inflammatory injection for the beating she had taken from Bane. Before she had had time to question their goal– which was taking them to Rodia –and what had occurred in the meeting, Obi-wan had ushered them into a small ship, just the two of them, and raced off.

She had managed to get it out of him after a few minutes of tense silence in hyperspace that Bane had four targets, but only two weren't taken into the dark side of the Force and could be sensed. Anakin and Ahsoka had headed to Naboo, and Obi-wan had volunteered for Rodia, another tropical planet, with domed cities and relative peace.

She accepted the answer as they left hyperspace and headed down, passing through the clear gates of the domed city, which slid open to let them through. The landing zone was quiet for the late afternoon, as the pair disembarked and Araminta winced against the heat and humidity.

People shot them odd looks as Obi-wan hurried off, scanning the buildings as they descended from the landing zone and into the city. Araminta followed him quickly, skipping two steps at a time to catch up to him.

"Where are we going?" she asked. She could only trust their meditative meeting had given them the exact city and building, otherwise Araminta wasn't confident in their mission.

Obi-wan didn't answer her immediately. "Her name's Mahtee Dunn. Her son, Wee, has already been approached by the Jedi before," he replied, still searching the streets.

Araminta scrunched up her face. "What, in preparation? That young?" she said in disbelief.

Obi-wan shot her a glance out of the corner of his eye. "Yes."

"No one ever came to me," Araminta scoffed, less to open up and more to jab at the Order she was stuck working with.

"Nobody's perfect. You must have slipped through our system," Obi-wan told her firmly as they entered a different part of the city, houses lower to the ground and large strips of nature.

Not Octavian's, she thought bitterly.

"You know why I asked to go after Bane, don't you?" Araminta bit out before she could think better of it.

"I have some idea." Obi-wan sighed, stopping for a moment, forcing the assassin to as well. He looked down at her, an unexpected fondness in his gaze. "Araminta, I don't blame you. The Council is not one person."

She would never admit how much the words coupled with the expression on his face made her feel lighter after a day of being knocked down. "I know," she said with a shrug, averting his gaze.

Obi-wan's eyes flicked to something over her shoulder, before narrowing. "It's over there," he said, tone serious now.

Araminta followed him to the door, as he rang the doorbell, hand hovering over it again when there wasn't an immediate answer. The assassin watched him warily, mind already leaping to worst case scenarios before the door opened a third of the way.

Through the gap, a Rodian woman stared at them, eyes fixed but somehow still faraway. It set something off in Araminta, as the woman, Mahtee, hissed, "If you're looking for my son, Jedi, he's not here."

Obi-wan's eyes widened at their expected arrival. "Where is he?" he asked, unable to keep the desperation out of his voice.

The door shut in their face.

"Well," Araminta said dramatically, hand-on-hip.

Obi-wan was not amused. "Open the door," he said, firmly, loud enough he would be heard from the other side. No response, and Araminta only heard shuffling from the other side, but nothing else. Her hearing was still debilitated compared to normal from Bane.

Obi-wan exchanged a look with the assassin, who rolled her eyes. She pulled the door open with the force, sticking to Obi-wan's side as they actively broke in and entered. But almost immediately she had stepped forward, blocking most of the Jedi's figure as Mahtee stood in front of them, blaster raised.

"You'll never get him," she said, tightly.

Araminta narrowed her eyes at the blaster, her fingers flexing and knees braced to jump and knock the weapon from her hand.

"Wiat," Obi-wan hissed. Reluctantly, Araminta did. "She's under some sort of trance." He waved a hand, the Force rippling through the room. "Where is the bounty hunter?"

Mahtee's eyes cleared, blinking, her grip on the weapon loosening. "Bounty hunter?" she asked wearily. "He... was a Jedi."

The blaster flew from her hand and into Obi-wan's, the Rodian woman looking terrified. "Jedi do not carry blasters," Obi-wan said firmly, handing the weapon to Araminta.

She narrowed her eyes at her confirmed suspicions. "It's his," she declared, turning the safety back on and holstering it. Obi-wan shot her a look at the weapon-theft, to which she shrugged.

"What have I done?" Mahtee despaired, placing her head in her hands. Obi-wan moved forward to comfort her, as Araminta drifted, glancing outside the house.

It was still broad daylight, people going about their lives and no sign of tracks or a struggle. She huffed, as Obi-wan stepped back up to her side. "He'll be long gone now," Araminta said flatly.

"I know," Obi-wan sighed. "Hopefully Ahsoka and Anakin had better luck."

━━━━ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ━━━━

      ANAKIN and Ahsoka did have better luck. They regrouped at the closest point, Obi-wan and Araminta docking in the hangar of the cruiser where they were met by Windu, who the assassin had hoped to avoid after the meeting earlier in the day.

The Jedi had taken them out of the hangar and towards the prison ward where Bane was being kept aboard, Araminta refusing to leave Obi-wan's side as they arrived in the heavily guarded aisle. She did not trust Bane not to lash out, even while he was shouldered by guards at the entrance to his cell and his wrists were cuffed together and then to a table nailed to the floor.

Araminta scanned him up and down as she stayed at the back of the cell, without instructions to get involved in the interrogation, which only brought up memories from her induction into their ranks.

"We know you've taken at least two children," Obi-wan continued, met with much the same luck as when he interrogated his bodyguard on that fateful day. Bane only watched him, pointedly ignoring Windu who was pacing circles around the table. Obi-wan jabbed a finger at Bane. "Where are they?" he demanded.

"Beyond your reach," Bane said, snidely.

"Who are you working for?" Windu joined in.

Bane lifted his chin smugly. "I work alone."

"It is only a matter of time before we locate the holocron. Make it easier on yourself," Obi-wan said in what Araminta assumed was intended to be threatening, leaning his hands on the table.

Bane looked up at him. "What are you going to do, Jedi, torture me? Turn me into a guard dog?"

Araminta's glare hardened as Windu gave her a pointed look, as if she would lash out. "I think the fear of whoever you work for outweighs your fear of us," the Jedi said solemnly.

Bane's face shifted. "This conversation is over," he said dismissively, leaning back in his chair.

Obi-wan pulled away from the prisoner with a scowl, the group leaving the cell in disappointment. Araminta perked up at the sight of Anakin and Ahsoka heading down the prison aisle towards them, their stances also defeated.

Anakin lifted his eyes and scanned the trio, blue lingering on gold. "We tore the ship apart," he said, flicking away from her gaze after a moment too long. "There's no sign of the holocron or the kids."

"Did you check the ship's navigation records?" Windu questioned.

"They were wiped clean before he landed on Naboo," Ahsoka answered quietly.

Araminta dismissively gestured to Bane's cell behind them. "He's not talking, as expected," she added with a shrug.

Anakin didn't look discouraged. "We'll have to use the Force to make him talk." The suggestion came so easily to him.

Obi-wan looked less enthusiastic. "I don't think Bane is that weak," he said in a warning tone.

"You can be strong and still get overwhelmed," Araminta chimed in. Obi-wan shot her a look at the encouragement of the young Jedi.

"Concentrate on his mind all at once?" Obi-wan clarified. Araminta inclined her head in response. "Hm. Using the Force to compel a strong mind to cooperate is... risky," the older Jedi admitted.

"There is a danger that his mind could be destroyed in the process," Windu agreed warily.

"Well, do we have another choice?" Anakin said casually.

Obi-wan sighed, knowing they were on a time crunch. He looked down at his bodyguard. "Stand watch." she nodded diligently, Windu looked between the pair in confusion. "Araminta has never approved of 'Jedi mind tricks'," Obi-wan explained simply at her lack of participation.

Windu looked at her oddly. "But will draw the line at murder," he stated. Araminta scrunched up her nose at the response.

"Let's get this over with," Obi-wan interjected.

The three Jedi led the way, entering Bane's cell in formation. Araminta stood at the back with Ahsoka, looking wary as the three Jedi stood silently before Bane, who seemed to detect the change in energy as they approached the table. Araminta's hand hovered over her knife.

Anakin closed his eyes and held out a hand. "You will take us to the holocron," he said.

"Jedi mind tricks don't work on me," Bane huffed, sounding bored.

But Obi-wan joined in, holding out a hand as well. "You will take us to the holocron," Anakin repeated in synch with his old teacher.

Bane shifted, wincing. "Forget it," he snapped.

"You will take us to the holocron," the three Jedi repeated together, Windu rounding off the effort.

Bane squirmed. "I... I... I won't!"

"And you will take us now," Windu concluded.

"I..." Bane heaved, fighting the pressure. "I will take you." His eyes cleared momentarily, a scowl twisting his features. "No! Get out of my head!"

Ahsoka's eyes widened beside the assassin, the padawan searching her face for a reaction, but Araminta had resorted to far worse methods of interrogation. She watched as the bounty hunter writhed in his restraints, head lolling back and teeth bared in silent pain.

After a few extended seconds, he was released. Bane slumped forward, head between his shaking shoulders. But no words left his mouth as he caught his breath.

"Perhaps we should try again," Anakin snarled

Bane grunted, holding up a trembling hand. "I... I've had enough of that. I'll take you to the holocron. You'll get your children back."

"Good idea," Windu mused.

Bane was escorted from his cell with a troop of clones surrounding him as they headed for the cruiser's hangar, his restrained hands hanging in front as he walked, slightly slumped. Araminta brought up the rear with Obi-wan and the other Jedi, her golden eyes never leaving the back of Bane's head.

Araminta could feel Anakin at her shoulder, his chest almost brushing her, but she had to ignore it and press forward. The words in the hangar were at the bottom of her list, and she was not focused on that, she couldn't afford to be. In that moment, she had to use the frustration and the shame as a weapon to keep Bane in shackles and get what they had lost back.

That and, she found, Anakin's words had not cut her open. Not like some of their conversations that stripped her to the bone and made her reconsider what colour she bled and why. No, the words had sunk into her and made her warm, softening her edges rather gnawing at them.

Different, it was different.

"The Chancellor wants a report on our progress," Windu announced as they met in the hangar. Araminta stood by Obi-wan's side as she watched Bane forced into a ship by the clones.

"Tell him this is not Republic business," Obi-wan retorted. "It's an internal Jedi affair."

Anakin, who had been a few paces behind them, chimed in. "I'm sorry to disagree, but as long as the Jedi are acting as a military, we should report to the Chancellor, even on internal matters such as this."

Obi-wan grinned, exchanging a glance with Windu as they stopped outside the ship. He placed an arm around Anakin, patting his shoulder. "Well then, I guess you just volunteered to go," he said, sweetly. "Give the Chancellor my regards."

Anakin's face fell as Obi-wan moved away. "Now wait a minute–"

"I agree," Windu cut in. "Report back here when you are finished."

Anakin slumped his shoulders at the order to stay back, Araminta watching him around Obi-wan's frame. "This could be a trap, Master. You sure you don't need us to go?" he asked Windu, sounding dejected at being asked to stay back.

Windu shrugged. "Of course it's a trap, Skywalker."

"I will contact you when we find the children," Obi-wan told his former padawan as they departed, Windu already at the helm and starting the engine.

"Solarii," Anakin called.

She turned slowly, watching, waiting. She was vividly aware of Obi-wan standing patiently on the ramp, his eyes on the pair. Ahsoka stood behind her master, eyeing him. Araminta met his eyes again, expectantly. But he seemed to think better and stayed quiet, pulling back and looking away.

Araminta turned again, composing herself as she followed Obi-wan onto the departing ship, ignoring the look he gave her. It was precisely what she was trying to avoid.

Obi-wan took his place at the controls with Windu, while Araminta joined Commander Cody, the one clone accompanying them, in sitting next to Bane in the back. The clone had his blaster at his chest, armed and ready, while Araminta fixed her eye on Bane, finger propped on the handle of her knife.

If he made any move to escape, she told herself she would drive it straight into his throat.

━━━━ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ━━━━

      THE COORDINATES Bane had given took them deep into the Outer Rim, where space was neutral and outside of the law. They left hyperspace into a field of asteroids, but through the debris, Araminta could see a lone, dark space station hovering. She exchanged a glance with Obi-wan in a reflection.

They docked in silence, moving to their feet cautiously. Windu grabbed Bane harshly and escorted him to the door, Araminta waiting to follow in Obi-wan's shadow.

"We'll be fine, Cody," Obi-wan told the commander. "Stay here and watch the ship."

"Yes, sir," he responded.

They passed through the short bulkhead and entered the station, which was dark and dusty, no automatic lights flickering on in their presence. Araminta was violently aware that they were entering Bane's territory and straight into a very-likely trap. She could only hope the other two were as well, as she scanned her surroundings for any and all hints, weapons or escape routes.

A platform raised them up slowly into the main room of the station, Obi-wan furrowing his brow as they went deeper. "I don't sense any children nearby," he said cautiously.

"Neither do I," Windu agreed.

Obi-wan looked at Araminta expectantly, but she could only glare at the side of Bane's blue head. "He shot my ears to hell so don't look at me like that," she snapped. The bounty hunter dared to crack a smirk at the remark.

The platform slowed, coming to a stop in the middle of a cylindrical, high-ceiling room. Windu glanced around, Araminta following the movement. It was dark, but even with her limited hearing, dead quiet.

"Where are you keeping the children?" Obi-wan demanded.

Bane scoffed. "The children are safe, but first, your precious holocron."

Araminta shoved Obi-wan's shoulder lightly, gesturing in the direction of the only other light source in the station– a faint blue glow sitting atop a desk a few feet from where they were standing.

"Let me get it for you," Bane said, stepping forward. Windu grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him back roughly.

"No more of your tricks," he snapped.

Araminta's hair stood on end, tail swishing nervously. "Be care–"

The moment Windu had stepped off the platform that had raised them into the room in the first place, the room lit up with red light, an alarm blaring. Araminta drew her knife on instinct, glancing between Obi-wan and Bane, before scanning the room desperately for the source of the noise.

"Well, that's done it," Obi-wan sighed, activating his lightsaber in preparation.

"Hey, it's a trap!" Araminta drawled, snapping at the end. Windu sent her an annoyed look, as cannons slid out from the walls, and laser emitters lowered from the ceiling. "Fantastic," she deadpanned as the shooting started.

Obi-wan was forced back from the attacks, blocking the cannon fire but darting from the lasers. Araminta tore her golden gaze from Bane as she gave in and stepped away, staying by Obi-wan's side and drawing a blaster in her other hand, shooting at the source of the blasts.

Bane slipped through their fingers yet again, ducking between the attacks as if he had them memorised, pressing against the far wall. Obi-wan looked at him hopelessly, a wall of red between them, Araminta glued to his side, her choice made.

"So long Jedi," Bane said lightly, before the portion of the wall he was against flipped and he disappeared behind it.

Araminta sheathed her knife in defeat, grabbing her other blaster as she pressed her back against Obi-wan's and fired at any of the cannons she could see. Windu was to the side, trapped from where he had left the platform and been separated by a criss-cross of lasers between them.

"Cover me!" Obi-wan instructed abruptly, gesturing with his hand to the holocron still sitting feet away from them. Araminta nodded, moving with her charge and firing in every direction she could manage. She ducked and rolled sharply, just as Obi-wan shouted, "I've got the holocron!"

Araminta trailed him as he sprinted from the room towards the platform they had originally entered from, driving his lightsaber into the floor as it cut a circle into the metal. Windu jumped in from the side, his added weight causing them to collapse downwards, the metal clattering.

The alarm continued to blare, red light illuminating the whole station, which had started to buckle. "This whole place is about to go up," Araminta realised in alarm.

"Hurry!" Windu urged.

"Anytime, Cody," Obi-wan snapped as they practically dived through the port and back into the ship. The commander was already at the controls, as he disembarked and sped off, leaving behind the blossoming wreckage of the station.

"He didn't have the children," Windu said after a few seconds of silence.

Obi-wan frowned, but cradled the holocron in his hands. "For now, we can say we got this back."

"A small victory is still a victory," Windu admitted, and the glance he shot Araminta was not lost on her.

━━━━ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ━━━━

      ANAKIN knocked on her door that night. She had expected it. Anticipated it, even.

She greeted him with a knife as always, eyes narrowed. "What's wrong?"

He looked at her, face soft, softer than usual. "I–" He cut himself off.

Araminta shifted to the side as usual, giving him space to enter, but he only stared down at her. She sighed. "Just come inside. We don't have to talk," she relented.

He moved then, reminding her that this wasn't usual. His words in the hangar had shifted something in their connection. But Araminta found she didn't hate it, in fact she even pressed her lips together to hide a smile as she closed the door and shut it behind them.

She placed her knife on top of her pillow and sat back on her bed. Anakin stayed standing, a little awkwardly, not taking his usual spot on the floor against her bed frame. Araminta gave him a questioning look as she pulled her knees against her body, tilting her head.

"Can I?" Anakin asked, gesturing to the bed instead. He looked apprehensive.

The assassin blinked at him for a second before responding, "Okay."

He sat carefully, mattress dipping under his weight as he leaned, her eyes never leaving him. But Araminta stayed quiet, sticking to her word.

They stayed like that, in silence, for minutes. She felt him watch her, and then she would look over, and he would look away. They had sat in silence for nights before, this was no different, except that Araminta knew it was. Different in a way she had known before.

"Are you angry?" he asked after a while.

"No," she responded simply.

He nodded once, but still regarded her carefully. "You were pretty worked up today," he pointed out.

Araminta shot him a weak glare. "Thanks," she said sarcastically.

Anakin smiled, but it didn't meet his eyes. "I told the Admiral it was my fault," he admitted.

"Why?" she asked immediately.

He looked surprised by the quickness of the response, blinking at her as if the question was out of place. "Because it was. Start to finish," he said, firmly.

Araminta didn't believe him. "If you say so. I think Bane had prepared for more than we had. No one could have guessed he would have Separatists backing him like that," she assured him, tone as sure as if she were stating a fact.

"No one wanted to," Anakin agreed quietly. "Are you okay?"

The assassin nodded. "Mhm. Stopped a second-coming of Octavian today, so."

Anakin shifted on her bed, pulling his legs up so he was cross-legged, long limbs overtaking the space she took up. "That's what you were thinking?" he asked, leaning forward slightly.

Araminta shrugged. "Pretty much. Octavian uses a stolen holocron." She blinked at him, and the way he was wringing his hands together. "Are you okay?"

Anakin raised his eyebrows at the question like he hadn't been expecting it. "Well, we got the children back. You guys got the holocron, which Master Windu said was intact and not copied," he summarised, as if she had not heard the briefing from Obi-wan before lights out. But she let him tell her like it was new information.

"It all worked out so... I'm great," he concluded, nodding along, maybe to convince himself, because his eyes were still stormy and he continued to fidget. "What're you thinking?"

If anything she should have been the one asking him the question, but she kept it to herself, leaning her head back slightly. "I would have died," Araminta said, simply. A fact. "If you had abandoned me like I assumed you would, I would have died."

"Why assume?" he asked, trying and failing to hide the curiosity in his voice.

"Because it's not in my nature to be worth the mission," she admitted earnestly. Anakin looked sad at the response, which earned a small smile from Araminta. "I see I was wrong," she added.

Anakin's lips lifted too, but the sad look was still present. "Why don't you trust anyone with your life?" It was spoken like a whisper, something dangerous.

"Control," she answered, never breaking eye contact. "It's what I was raised on. It's why I hated you so much in the beginning because my life was in the hands of someone else. We've been over this. It was never personal. It's just what we were taught." She swallowed thickly. "But today... I lost sight and got in a position where I couldn't save myself. I miscalculated... and then failed." She counted on her fingers, before scoffing. "Triple casualty."

Anakin waved a hand over her three fingers, pushing them down and covering her fist with his palm. "You tell me all the time it's okay to make mistakes and learn from them," he chastised. "There was no major loss. We got the holocron back and stopped the children from being hurt. That's what we wanted in the first place."

Araminta blinked down at where his hand was over hers, and Anakin hastily removed the hold. "Right. You're right," she got out. "It's just..."

"I know," Anakin murmured.

"Do you?" she pressed.

"I do and in spite of all that–" he cut himself off quickly, Araminta watching him intently, lips slightly parted. Anakin rephrased, "I see it all and I take it as a part of you. You would not be you without it. What I said today, about Tatooine– I meant it."

Warmth spilled from her chest.

"Because I understand?" she asked, softly.

"And more."

Araminta's face shifted. "Can I ask you something?" If Anakin was surprised she was speaking up for once, he didn't show it, only nodded. "Will I ever be more than a guard dog?"

The question was quiet, but urgent, said with a hint of pleading she wished she wasn't capable of.

"What?" Araminta narrowed her eyes at the response to her opening up. Anakin shook his head. "Sorry, it's just– new."

Araminta scoffed. "What? Me opening up?"

"Well, yeah," he said with a shrug. He wasn't wrong. "Is this about what the Council said?" Anakin asked after a moment, studying her face.

"And Bane," Araminta said bitterly.

"Do you want to be more than a guard dog?"

The question was so simple, but it stumped her. "I don't know," she said, slowly, gnawing on her cheek. "When this war began, I wanted to be something Octavian would hate. I'm still not sure... what exactly that is but I know I can't achieve it if I'm stuck at Kenobi's hip."

"Can't you?" She gave him a look at the response, but he only rolled his eyes as if she were the one missing something. "Solarii, come on, you've kept Obi-wan alive through hell now. You stick to your orders and you do a lot of damage to the clankers. It's just a temporary thing right now."

Araminta scowled. "So, keep my head down until they give me my privileges back?"

"That's not–" he cut himself off, pressing a hand to his forehead in a very Obi-wan-like way. Anakin let out a breath, meeting her eye again. "You always say do what's necessary, right?" he reiterated.

The phrase bit at her. "Right."

"So do that," he said simply. Something in her face must have communicated it felt so much further than do that. "What do you want?"

"I want to cut Octavian off," Araminta replied, trying not to overthink it.

"How?" he pressed.

She only had to think for a second. "Become something he would hate. Undo what he did."

Anakin looked pleased with the response. "And what will help you get there?"

Araminta sighed, lowering her gaze. "Protecting Kenobi and helping the war efforts," she said, dryly.

Anakin clapped his hands together. "Well, there you go."

"Still not a Jedi, okay?" Araminta snapped, but there was a playful undertone to it.

"I know that's why I..." Anakin trailed off, smile fading. "I know," he said, quieter.

Araminta tilted her head at the response, the light catching her features. Anakin's face hardened abruptly, and he reached forward, as if he wasn't thinking, brushing his thumb over her lip where it was scabbing. She flinched away at the contact on instinct, looking at him in confusion.

"Did Bane do that?" he spat.

"Yeah," she said, shrugging it off. "Beat the shit out of me."

Anakin shook his head. "He was more prepared than we were."

"You still didn't answer my question," Araminta pointed out.

Anakin did not stop and hesitate, not even to clarify what she was talking about. "Yes. You will be," he said. "You already are to me, and Obi-wan's getting there."

"Okay."

She believed him.

Anakin lifted his arm slightly, but Araminta took the signal and moved forward. She shifted so she was sitting beside him, leaning against his shoulder, head close to his chest. She felt his head lean on the top of hers, arm going around her middle and pulling her close.

His other arm moved up, brushing a thumb against her cheek. A ghost of a kiss against the top of her head. "Would you trust me with your life now?" he murmured into her hair.

"Let's not fuck around and find out," she responded, feeling him smile against her.

━━━━ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ━━━━

*half-edited, pls excuse any shaky characterisation a lot of araminta thoughts this chapter i lowkey lost track and i exclusively seem to finish and publish these chapters at midnight, next is way more straightforward*

consider this confession my late christmas present to you all :) happy holidays and new year!!

please feedback on their relationship, i wanna do right by both their characters and the pacing :')

also i just wanted araminta to be vulnerable at the end for once so anakin isn't always the one pouring his heart out lmao (i made him sit so they're on the same eye level for such a deep conversation)

they're not together yet but like,, progress? more than friends? kiss soon???? 

mayhaps