Chapter 1

                                    

                                          
She walked down the temple steps, eyes blurry as she thought about what she was leaving behind. Her friends, her home, the only family she ever had, all gone with that one decision. Ahsoka rubbed at her eyes after she turned down the next street. She made her choice, and she had to live with it. Now was not the time to unpack her feelings. It was the time to figure out what the fuck she was going to do now. 
                          
She couldn't go to her senator friends, they were all too close and involved with the Jedi. There was almost no hope in finding Ventress, she could be anywhere in the galaxy now. Ahsoka racked her brains, turning through all the possible people that could help her. She walked absentmindedly through the bustling streets, before realising she was walking to the Industrial sector of Coruscant. Ahsoka brightened, knowing where muscle memory was taking her. 
                          
A bell rung as she pushed the door open, revealing a diner full of tired, hungry and overworked citizens. A human waitress looked over, before her eyes lit up upon seeing who entered. 
"Ahsoka! It's so good to see you. I was beginning to think you forgot about us it's been so long," The waitress teased. Ahsoka grinned. 
"How could I forget about the restaurant that has the best food on this entire planet?" 
"So it's all about the food?" she said, feigning hurt. 
"Of course not Harmony, it also has my favourite waitress there as well,"
"Damn right it does," Harmony said, before pulling Ahsoka in for a much needed hug. They pulled away, and she led Ahsoka to a seat at the high counter top looking into the diner kitchen, her usual spot. 
"I'll go grab Dex," she stated before disappearing into a room off the side of the kitchen. It was only a few seconds before a Besalisk wearing a grubby apron emerged. 
                          
"Ahsoka! It's so good to see my favourite Jedi here again," he looked side to side before whispering behind his hand, "Don't tell Obi-wan I said that, we both know his feelings are very delicate." Ahsoka snorted. Dex still saw how tired and stressed the young girl was underneath her smile. 
                          
"Okay girly, do you want to tell me what's wrong over a nice hot meal," he offered kindly.
"Thank you Dex, but I'm afraid I don't have any money to pay for it,"
"Don't be silly," he dismissed the claim with a wave of his hand, "No one should have to tell a story on an empty stomach. It's on the house," 
"Oh no Dex, don't worry about it," Ahsoka rushed. 
"Ahsoka, your usual is coming up, its gonna be on the house, and there's nothing you can do about it," Harmony interjected, striding behind the counter into the kitchen. 
"Now that that's sorted, what's wrong?" Dex asked. 
"Well, I'm sure you guys both saw the news on my supposed betrayal of the republic," Ahsoka stated in air quotes. The two nodded. 
"We knew it was utter shite, you would never do anything like that," Harmony added. 
"Thanks Harmony, it's nice to hear at least some people thought that." Ahsoka said. Harmony nodded again, continuing to bustle around the kitchen. 
                          
"And now I'm here, trying to figure out what to do now," Ahsoka finished, taking a bite from the now half eaten plate sitting in front of her. 
"For what it's worth girly, that took a lot of strength to do," Dex stated. 
"I agree, and, between you and me, I've always thought that the Jedi were a bit culty," Harmony stated passing by. Ahsoka's eyes went wide before she burst out laughing. Harmony elbowed her in the side, glad to see a smile on the teenagers face. 
                          
Dex looked around as Ahsoka calmed down checking to see if anyone was listening in. Him and Harmony leaned in to Ahsoka, lowering their voices. 
"Look, we know someone who can get you off Coruscant no charge, no funny business." He whispered. 
"That sounds like a lot of funny business would be involved if there's no charge," Ahsoka replied, eyebrow raised skeptically. 
"Trust me Ahsoka, these guys are legit, and they help Jedi like you," Harmony chimed in. 
"What do you mean Jedi like me?" 
"Ahsoka, think about it for a moment. There are what, roughly 10,000 Jedi?" Ahsoka nodded slowly, "Well out of that many, it would be extremely weird if nobody else had ever left the order, right?" Harmony stated reasonably. Ahsoka realised that what Harmony was saying made a lot of sense and nodded again. 
                          
"Right, well, You can imagine how hard it is for people who leave the Order and are suddenly on their own with no resources or connections. A lot of the Jedi who leave the order end up having the same complaints and idea's. So, decades ago, a small camp on an isolated planet was made for these Jedi, and a few others who come along. We know that it's credible, and they could help you if you want?" Ahsoka took this in, and realised that the force was nagging at her to accept the offer. And so, she did. 
                          
"Okay, I just got off the holo call with Valencia and her crew, they said they'll be here at dawn tomorrow," Harmony announced after emerging from the back room. The diner had cleared out, the patrons having decided it was time to trudge back to their homes. 
"Okay girly, now that that's all sorted, do you need a place to crash?" Dex asked, turning to Ahsoka. 
"Oh no, don't worry about me, you guys have done enough already."
"Ahsoka, you can stay with one of us, it's really no bother." Harmony stated. 
"Really, you both have done too much, plus I can find my own place to sleep for at least one night." Ahsoka reassured them. 
                          
"Are you sure you don't want to stay with me?" Harmony turned back to Ahsoka. The trio were all out on the street, the diner all locked up for the night. 
"I'll be fine. You guys go home to your families. I'll see you both here tomorrow morning I guess." Dex and Harmony nodded, and reluctantly walked away from Ahsoka. 
                          
Now alone in the street, Ahsoka took in her surroundings. She couldn't get a place for the night, she had no money, and she didn't know anyone else. Ahsoka's hand hovered closer to her single remaining lightsaber. 
Anakin had given it to her once he realised that she wasn't coming back. 
"If I can't protect you anymore, at least take this so you can have a better chance," is what he had told her, holding out her green lightsaber. Ahsoka had teared up at that, overwhelmed by his care even when she was leaving the order. Ahsoka took the saber from him, before pulling him into a tight hug, unable to convey how she was feeling with words. He returned it, understanding what she could not say. Snapping out of the memory, Ahsoka brought herself back to the present. 
                          
Realising there wasn't anything she could really do, Ahsoka walked along the street a little, before finding a relatively quiet side street for Coruscant standards branching off the main. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything useful to her littered on the street. 
                          
Sighing, Ahsoka lowered herself to the ground. She rested her head against the wall behind her, closing her eyes as a single tear finally escaped, trailing down her cheek. She breathed out, before she slowly lay down on the street, curling into a ball. Ahsoka closed her eyes again, pushing the memories of the past week back down into her mind, falling into a fitful sleep, hand clutched tightly around her saber.