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      ARAMINTA had the distinct feeling that something was crawling across her skin. As they dusted themselves off and called for a ship to load Poggle into and briefly explained what had happened to Mundi through a transmission, Araminta had not been able to avoid feeling like something was under her skin.

It was a hard feeling to shake, but she knew it was all in her head. Something psychological she had picked up from seeing worms capable of rendering them useless corpses right in front of her, seen the lifeless eyes of undead soldiers look right through her despite the knife in their stomach.

Araminta had felt like an imposter in her own body before– a soul in a weapon that someone else owned. She was still reeling from that in her head– the simple idea of a worm slithering into her brain and making it someone else's was completely terrifying. That and warriors that couldn't die had completely shaken her entire skillset which, granted, was made to kill. But if something couldn't be killed, then what was she worth?

The others were shaken on varying levels by what they had encountered in the catacombs as they waited for backup, Araminta massaging the tender spot on her stomach. The healed injury truthfully hadn't bothered her during their underground escapade, but it seemed that now she had stopped moving, the muscle was complaining. She supposed she had been impaled by shrapnel.

A shadow fell over and she looked to see Anakin by her side, chest almost against her shoulder. "You alright?" he asked quietly. Araminta briefly looked to see Obi-wan and Luminara focused on Poggle, before glancing back up at her partner.

"Fine," she responded. "Just didn't expect, well, any of that."

Anakin shrugged. "True. Not quite what I had in mind when Obi-wan said to be prepared for anything." Araminta's lip twitched, and she shook her head.

She had looked at him for a moment longer than was appropriate before the moment passed and she lowered her eyes to the sand.

They didn't have to wait long for reinforcements to arrive. Poggle's capture had earned multiple transport ships and Mundi himself to land in a small ship, and as he disembarked, he was followed by Ahsoka, and Luminara's padawan, Barriss. She, too, was Mirialan, but much smaller, with bright eyes.

"Master!" Ahsoka greeted warmly.

"Hey, Snips," Anakin responded, moving from where he had been standing with Araminta.

To her left, Araminta saw Barriss and Luminara exchange pleasantries, something akin to the padawan's gratitude at her master making it out alive, but it was not the same relationship Ahsoka and Anakin shared. Araminta should have come to expect that now.

Mundi looked grave as their prisoner was escorted, with much clicking and complaining, into the ship. "I'm afraid we have a complication," he sighed.

"Don't we always?" Anakin remarked lightly.

"I've just received a distress signal from our forces on Dantooine. Master Windu's defences held, but at a great cost to his men," Mundi explained. "They need medical supplies immediately, which we'll be able to get from a station near Ord Cestus."

"We're delivering Poggle to Coruscant and Cestus isn't exactly on the way," Anakin said unsurely.

"The Republic must begin debriefing Poggle right away if we're to get anything useful from him," Luminara chimed in.

Anakin narrowed his eyes, looking thoughtful in a way Araminta had come to recognise. "Master," he said lightly, stepping around so he was behind the two padawans. "I suggest we let our padawans handle the supply mission." He placed a hand on both their shoulders affectionately.

"Whatever needs to be done, Master," Ahsoka agreed. "I'm happy to help."

"As am I," Barriss added.

"Very well," Obi-wan relented. "Take a medical frigate. And after we've delivered Poggle to Coruscant, we'll rendezvous with you for the trip to Dantooine."

"Yes, Master," Ahsoka responded, her and Barriss bowing slightly.

"Good luck, Snips," Anakin said over his shoulder as he moved to catch up to Obi-wan and Araminta already boarding the small ship.

Poggle made a few clicks in complaint as they took off, but for the most part he had been a peaceful prisoner so far, which was suspicious in itself. The last time Araminta had had a peaceful prisoner was Vindi, and his backup plan had almost been catastrophic.

The ship landed back at their makeshift base, which was being adjusted and moved as they reclaimed Geonosis for a second time. One of the frigates was filled with armed clones, including Anakin's troops, as they moved Poggle onto it with extreme security.

"General Skywalker," Rex greeted as they arrived.

"Rex, take Poggle to the prison aisle," Anakin instructed, gesturing to the indignant prisoner.

"Yes, sir," the Captain replied.

"I'll go with," Luminara said assertively, and in a way that said she did not trust Poggle for one second after the catacombs.

"I'll give the signal to take off," Mundi said softly as they split off, Araminta staying in step with her charge. "This marks a great victory for the Republic," he added, the ghost of a smile on his face.

"I agree," said Obi-wan. "Poggle may have intel we've been needing to gain an advantage in this war. It would be good to see what he knows now, if possible."

"Geonosians have been hard to interrogate in the past," Mundi responded. "We may encounter resistance."

"Then he can resist," Anakin said with a shrug. Obi-wan shot him an unimpressed look.

Anakin only held his hands up defensively as the ship groaned on takeoff. The long journey placed them in extended hyperspace, and as they passed by a window, Araminta saw the familiar blur of blues and whites flash past them.

Obi-wan started the interrogation on Poggle, going to meet Luminara in the prison aisle, leaving Araminta with his former padawan. Her discomfort at mind tricks seemed to be current news, as Mundi did not question her place as he took charge on the bridge.

"You think we'll have to retake Geonosis a third time?" Anakin asked his partner lightly.

She sent him an annoyed look. "That's not funny," she snipped.

"It's a little funny," he said with a shrug.

"If I see another Geonosian tunnel ever it'll be too soon," Araminta hissed.

"I can agree with that," Anakin chuckled. Araminta sent him a small, sarcastic smile.

Luminara soon returned from the prison aisle unsuccessful, having left Obi-wan to continue her efforts as she switched with Mundi. Anakin had only crossed his arms over his chest, and looked almost too eager to get to his turn interrogating the Geonosian. Araminta just huffed at the idea and scrunched up her nose.

It was an oxymoron that she, an assassin who had brought people to their knees for information, hated the idea of Jedi mind tricks so much. She had never been asked to explain herself, and she didn't particularly care to. If anything, they never asked her to help extract information, she assumed because they thought she'd take it too far. Ironic, in a way.

Time stretched on, and Poggle refused to talk, Mundi returning unsuccessful as well. Anakin was growing antsy by that point, as Obi-wan refused to give up as easily. But even he came back eventually, looked aggravated.

"No luck?" Araminta asked, dryly.

"He's stubborn," Obi-wan ground out. "This may not be something we can do here."

"Maybe," Araminta said with a shrug. "Something tells me Windu would break him in a second." Obi-wan looked surprised by the remark. "Don't tell him I said that," she added.

"I wouldn't dare," Obi-wan said lightly.

"General Kenobi, General Skywalker," Luminara called from where she was on the bridge. Mundi and her both looked concerned, and with exchanged glances, Anakin and Obi-wan moved over. Araminta followed.

"What is it?" Obi-wan asked.

"The cargo ship failed to check in on schedule," Luminara told them gravely. "I attempted to contact them but there was no reply."

Araminta's ears flicked back expressively as Anakin tensed beside her. "I don't like it," he said lowly. "Something's up."

"It is certainly most unlike either padawan to lose contact," Luminara agreed, but she seemed far less troubled about it than Anakin was.

"They're in trouble," Anakin insisted.

"Anakin, have faith in your padawan," Obi-wan interjected.

"She would have checked in," the younger Jedi said, firmly.

"Like you always do?" Obi-wan pointed out snidely.

"Good point," Anakin relented, face slackening. Araminta still watched him warily.

"Sometimes I don't think you realise how alike you two have become," Obi-wan continued lightly, arms crossed over his chest.

Mundi cleared his throat. "We need to continue our interrogation of Poggle."

"Yes, agreed," Obi-wan sighed. "He's being most uncooperative." He turned to the girl beside him. "I'd like you to come with," he told her. "Maybe you see something we don't."

Araminta's face didn't shift despite the way she wanted to scowl at the insinuation. "Of course," she agreed easily.

Anakin didn't leave with them, as he circled to Rex on the bridge. She caught one last glance over her shoulder before the door closed and the prison aisle drew closer. She sighed and looked back ahead of her, the Jedi quiet as they went.

It was an eerie thing, how unconcerned they were. Though Araminta remained calm, it was through processing the potential of a threat, evaluating the possibilities but assuring herself from past experience and skill it would be okay. She knew that's not what the Jedi did– they were impassive and unattached.

The interrogation did not go well, even with Araminta present. Obi-wan had asked her her thoughts, but when 'keep going' didn't work and the Geonosian didn't even seem to squirm at the mental probing, it became clear it wasn't going to do anything.

She could not see anything they hadn't already, and her advice would have been against their sacred code. She knew Obi-wan had a small level of trust with her, but even that would not justify her being ordered to get her hands dirty in place of them.

Poggle was frustratingly hard to break and after what felt like twenty minutes, the three Jedi and the assassin left empty handed again.

"We'll just have to wait for the Republic interrogation," Luminara relented as they regrouped in the body of the ship.

"It seems so," Mundi sighed.

"Once we get to Dantooine, Araminta and I will return to Geonosis," Obi-wan informed them. "We still don't know how they reclaimed the planet the first time, and I'd like to be there to stop it."

"Agreed," Mundi said. "It is most unsettling that they were able to regroup under our noses."

"No matter," Luminara cut in. "It is thanks to the Senator and Solarii's efforts that they could not get further."

Eyes turned to Araminta, and she only dipped her head. "Yeah, of course," she said easily.

"The Council sees your efforts," Mundi told her serenely. Araminta only blinked at him, remembering the day she had first faced him in front of the Council as a failure.

"Appreciated," she said as politely as she could.

Araminta perked up, hearing running. Moments later, the doors slid open as Anakin entered, looking frantic. "I made contact with Ahsoka," he said quickly, heading for the console they were gathered around.

"What's their status?" Obi-wan asked immediately.

"Geonosian parasites have infected her crew," Anakin said, not even looking at Obi-wan as he began to dial in the transmission.

Obi-wan's eyes widened, exchanging concerned looks with Araminta. "How did they get on board her ship?" the older Jedi questioned.

"Poggle said the parasites must have needed a new host after we raided the Queen's temple," Anakin explained.

"You interrogated Poggle?" Luminara asked, sounding confused.

"I did," Anakin said hotly, turning away from the console to give them a hard look. Araminta frowned. "There wasn't time to get the rest of you," he added, tightly.

"How did you get him to talk?" Araminta spoke up, asking the question the group wanted to ask.

"Look, all that matters is that he told me how to stop the worms," Anakin snapped, fixing his energy on her.

Araminta's ears flicked back, but she said nothing.

Anakin got in contact with both Ahsoka, and Kit Fisto who was waiting on Ord Cestus' medical station to freeze the parasites out. It was done in a hurry, the young Jedi moving sharply and with narrowed eyes. Mundi and Luminara stayed clear of him, while Obi-wan met him without fear.

It was all Araminta could do to follow her mission in silence, mulling over Anakin's cagey nature and his interrogation of Poggle. She could guess what might have happened, how he might have broken the Geonosian, but it was not that that bothered her. It was the look in his eye as he snapped at her, as if they did not have hushed conversations in the dark and bare it all to each other.

As they finally pulled out of hyperspace and the world stopped spinning blue around them, Anakin declared, "I'm going to Cestus. I'll take a shuttle."

Obi-wan hardly looked surprised by the rash decision. "We'll make sure Poggle makes it to Coruscant," he assured Anakin. "Luminara," Obi-wan added, turning to the other Jedi. "Your padawan is also onboard the frigate, would you–?"

"It is alright," Luminara said firmly. "I'll stay."

Anakin didn't share the same steadiness, as he made to leave the bridge. "Stay in contact," Obi-wan called after him. Anakin paused, back to them.

His shoulders shook with a sigh. "Yes, Master." He glanced over his shoulder briefly, Obi-wan nodding once at him.

He glanced at Araminta, as if he expected her to say something, but she stayed quiet and watched as he departed.

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      ARAMINTA didn't see Anakin for a while after that. Their assignments were in different places, and following the recapture of Geonosis, Republic forces were having to be redirected and spread out again. Araminta and Obi-wan had been required in the Outer Rim, not Geonosis as predicted, while Anakin and his battalion helped Windu maintain his defences in case of a counterattack. Ahsoka, Barriss and the clones had made a full recovery, and the hive mind was being carefully studied for future reference.

By the time things, relatively, had calmed down, the incident in the catacombs was far behind Araminta, and the sore spot on her stomach was a distant memory. She could barely continue to be annoyed at Anakin for snapping at her, and she had been listening to whisperings in the Temple for when he returned from the field, too nervous to directly ask and give away her concern. She continued to train and attend the briefings with Obi-wan as they waited for their next assignment which, granted, never took too long.

She knew he was back, after what felt like weeks, when someone knocked on her door late at night. Knife in hand and shirt slipping down her shoulder and brand, she opened it and peeked out.

"You're back," she breathed when she saw him.

"Just now," he told her.

"I can tell," she remarked lightly as she let him in. He was still dressed in his uniform, hair slightly out of place and dark circles under his eyes. But they lit up when he looked back to her, even though he made no move to her like she expected. "What's wrong?" she asked cautiously.

"Just... wanted to see you," he told her. Her face softened slightly. "I shouldn't have snapped at you." She only blinked at him as if she didn't know what he was talking about. "During hyperspace," he clarified. "I was–"

"It's okay," she cut in. Anakin looked at her with gleaming eyes. "You were worried."

"Still–" he cut himself off this time, looking like he was biting his tongue. "I shouldn't have."

"I already said it's okay," Araminta told him wearily. She wasn't used to people seeking her forgiveness.

"I know," he sighed.

Araminta studied him carefully, setting her knife down. "Do you want me to be angry?" she asked, stepping closer to him.

"No," he denied, but he pulled away from her nonetheless. Araminta narrowed her eyes at him. "I need to ask you something."

Araminta swallowed thickly, but kept her face even. "Okay."

Anakin frowned, before moving to sit on her bed, Araminta watching him in silence. "What is the worst thing you've ever done?" he asked after a few moments of quiet, voice barely above a whisper, but she heard it loud and clear.

Araminta sighed as she, too, sat on the bed, legs dangling off it. She kept herself at an arm's reach from Anakin, not wanting him to pull away from her again.

"You've asked me this before," she said slowly. Anakin only blinked at her. "What'd you do?" Her tone held no judgement or malice, just the same as the day on Tatooine so long ago.

"Made Poggle talk," Anakin said.

"I know that," she said coolly. "How?"

Anakin hesitated as she watched him, unfazed. The silence stretched on, but she said nothing and made no move to touch him.

"I–" he swallowed thickly. Araminta perked up. "I used the Force to choke him until he wanted to talk."

He wouldn't meet her eyes, and Araminta regarded him for a few moments, the confession along the lines of what she had expected. His shoulders were slumped forward, hands in his lap, and as he continued to avoid her, she felt as if he was asking for judgement.

She tore her gaze off and looked into space. "I don't know. I don't have an answer," she told him. Anakin straightened up, looking at her out of the corner of his eye. "I killed innocent people. I killed people who deserved it. Anyone who got in my way was fair game. It was sometimes easier to kill than leave a loose end."

"How did you make people talk?" he whispered.

"Whatever was necessary," Araminta replied with a shrug. "We were assassins first, Force-users second. I can do things with a knife that would make you beg for death." Her eyes momentarily flicked to the blade beside her bed. "I don't have a worst because it was all a job– that was the worst of all."

The words passed between them for a moment, but Anakin did not move or speak. Araminta swallowed thickly, fearing this response. "You want an actual answer, don't you?" she spoke up softly, turning to him.

He was still looking at his hands in his lap, fingers curled. "I don't know," he admitted.

She blinked at him. "Why?" she asked simply.

"It might make me feel better," Anakin sighed. "I'm sorry."

Araminta shook her head. "Was it necessary?" she questioned.

Anakin finally turned to her. "What?"

"Was it necessary?" she repeated, firmer, gold eyes fixated on his.

He finally met her eyes warily, licking his lips. "Yes," he said hesitantly. "If we had waited, Ahsoka would be gone, too, and we might not have found out in time to save them."

"Then there you go," she told him.

"Why?" he asked quietly. Araminta gave him a puzzled look, prompting him to elaborate. "Why aren't you afraid of me?"

Araminta's face softened at the question. "Do you want me to be?"

"Never," he breathed.

"You have no idea how much blood I have on my hands for less," she murmured. "I will never be here to judge you for something you have done with good intentions."

"The blood will never matter to me," he assured. "Even if it should." She believed him.

"So why do you struggle to believe I feel the same about you?" she challenged gently.

She looked at him expectantly, but he closed the gap between where they were sitting and kissed her, lips gently pressing against hers. She cupped his face with one hand, the other against his chest. It was sweet, but longing, and she hadn't quite realised how much she had missed him while they had been on separate assignments.

Araminta moved from the edge of the bed to be more comfortable, as Anakin pulled away, looking down at her. His fingers traced the lines of her face, eyes following the movement. "I missed you," he murmured.

"I missed you, too," she sighed.

Anakin's eyes sparkled at the reciprocation. "I didn't know if you were back yet."

"It's okay," she said quickly, picking up on his guilty tone. "Pleasant surprise."

"Well, that's good to hear," he laughed breathily. He pressed a kiss to her hairline. "Has everything been okay on this end?" he asked, slipping back into a sitting position so they were sat opposite.

She nodded. "Pretty much." She shrugged. "Cody almost died but he didn't." Anakin's eyes widened. "Outer Rim battle," Araminta said, simply.

"Oh, right," he said casually, nodding along with her. She scrunched up her nose at him as he kissed her again, too quick for her to respond.

"You should rest," she said, quietly, staring at him. She reached up a hand and traced the circles under his eyes with her thumb. "You haven't been home since the campaign started."

"It's okay." He took a hold of the hand on his face and moved it down.

She shook her head and kissed his cheek. "Sleep."

"Is that an order?" he scoffed.

Araminta arched an eyebrow at his cheek. "And if I said it was?" she jeered.

"I'd say it's rich coming from you," he replied.

"Oh, really?" she asked snidely, tilting her head to the side.

He hummed in response and tucked her hair behind her ear. She wondered if she would ever get used to the way he looked at her, wholly and with warmth. She knew she would never grow tired of it.

Araminta hoped he saw that she looked at him in the same way. Since she had kissed him for the first time, she worried that her quiet actions and soft glances were not enough to assure him that she wanted him as more than a friend. Because gods did she see him as more than a friend, so much more than the boy she had first invaded Geonosis with.

It felt like a lifetime ago to the assassin.

"Sometimes I can't believe you're real," he said suddenly.

Araminta could scarcely remember someone saying something so gentle to her, and she could not think of anything to say back as he gazed at her. She only wrapped herself around him, arms and legs sprawled around his torso and lap, head resting under his as he took her in his arms. She could hear his heartbeat from where she was positioned, slow and steady.

She felt as if she could stay there all night, curled around him with his head resting against hers and his fingers tracing circles on her shoulder. The movement dodged the lump of scar tissue, and it was the softest touch her right shoulder had probably ever been experienced since the day she had been branded.

But despite the firm hold she had on him, she could feel the tiredness in the way his shoulders slumped, and how heavy his head was growing atop hers.

"Come on," she grumbled, shifting to lay them down across her bed.

Anakin didn't put up much of a fight, arms still lazily slung around her torso and waist. She huffed as she pulled the cover back over her legs, not wanting to cover Anakin's face, his head laying on her stomach. She curled in slightly, running her thumb across his cheek.

"What about you?" he asked quietly, eyes half-closed.

She blinked down at him. "What?"

"Won't you be tired?"

"You know me."

She felt him exhale deeply. "Yeah, I do."

Araminta leaned her head back against her pillow. "I'll wake you early tomorrow," she told him.

He hummed in response as Araminta ran her fingers through his hair, staring absentmindedly up at the ceiling. She could hear the city outside, buzzing despite the hour, with the war far from her mind, and Padme's newest vase of flowers winking at her in colours of red and orange.

But all of that seemed distant in that moment to Araminta, who could only feel the shallow breaths of Anakin against her body, and the steady thrum of her own heartbeat, slow and relaxed.

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i unashamedly love this chapter (and it's way sooner than anticipated, everyone say thank you matz)

this is officially an entire third of the way through this story, 30/90 chapters down which feels like a milestone? sort of. 15 left until end of act 2 and whew there's still a lot of drama to go down. the last like six chapters of this act are so much i'm excited

also anakinta being able to just openly speak about feelings instead of being cagey or needing to be pressed to talk is so important to me <3 they've come so far

part 3 of 3; ep208 brain invaders

next chapter is a standalone chapter before we start the mandalore plot arc and see satine <33 but no clue when i'll update next! i'm grinding that first year of my degree and she's fighting back

and thank you for almost 50k reads!