Grim sat on her bed, bouncing a small ball between the wall and herself. Although her mind wasn't thinking of it, instead it was a hurricane of thoughts as she contemplated the past few days. She thought of all that had occurred during Master Kenobi's mission.

She was still hurt that the Council hadn't thought to tell her about it. They all knew that she had seen all these events before and was trying to change the outcome. And Grim had changed things before. She had saved lives already! They knew that. She felt as if they didn't trust her, and it hurt her when she had trusted them with something she hadn't revealed to anyone else.

Except Ahsoka.

The ball fell.

Except Sidious.

She hadn't told him exactly, but she had let slip she knew more than was possible. She let slip about the multiverse.

Sidious is a mastermind. She knew it. Nothing less could control this war in all its aspects. What she let slip was enough to doom her. He would put together the pieces she had so foolishly handed him.

He had already known of her, she was always in his sights, but now she was a target as well.

How much had she revealed to him? Her words, her body language, her facial expressions, her actions, everything she did or didn't do, and everything she did or didn't say revealed her story. How much of her story did Sidious now know?

Grim picked the ball back up and placed it back in a drawer. Her mind had begun to swirl with questions again, these questions only caused her to worry more. She put on her red boots and black fingerless gloves, and left her quarters.

She still shared it with Obi-Wan, but after he had faked his death she was too angry at him to acknowledge him upon their arrival back on Coruscant.

Grim knew it was petty, but she felt she had deserved to know about the plan with everything else she already knew, and she may have also been trying to escape a lecture about the amount of fights she had gotten into while he was undercover.

Although Obi-Wan didn't know about the fight that was haunting her now.

Grim found an empty training room and began to go through some simple movements. She closed her eyes as she repeated movements that had almost become a part of her after years of fighting. She tried to keep her thoughts on the movement or if not on the movement then on the Force itself. To distract herself from her fears.

"How did you know it was me?"

"Oh I've known for some time."

He had known. How had Sidious known about her? She needed answers. The Padawan shook the thought out of her head. The only way to get the answer would be to walk back and fight him again.

Well, if Sidious already knew about her, there was no point in being as careful was there? Still she had to make sure she could survive an encounter with him. Her escape before had been luck, but she doubted her luck would stick.

The following days Grim spent hours at a time practicing in Soresu. She had even challenged Anakin to a friendly sparring match to see where she needed to work on. Although Anakin had been too angry about being left in the dark and Obi-Wan's deception when Grim had known, and so he declined her challenge. She had taunted him in a manner meant as something a younger sibling might say, but he had only been offended and walked away.

It had been nearly a week since the deception ended now.

Grim was once again in a training room, practicing her lightsaber combat on a droid. Today the room wasn't empty, although the Padawan paid no mind to her spectator.

Obi-Wan had come in during her second round against the droids, and watched as Grim battled against it. Every time she won. Grim was about to start it for the sixth match, but Obi-Wan saw how tired she was, at this rate Grim was going to wear herself out and get hurt.

"Padawan, I'd advise against it. You should take a break, you're going to wear yourself out at this point," Obi-Wan told her, walking over to her.

Grim gave no acknowledgement. In fact, almost as if to directly defy Obi-Wan she started another match against the droid, set at the highest difficulty level that was allowed for a Padawan. As the droid powered on, Grim twirled her lightsaber and got into position.

Obi-Wan was right.

Grim was getting tired out by the back to back matches. Her movements were slower this time. Sweat was dripping down the back of her neck. Her chest rose and fell with her breath. Still she remained focused on the droid.

This had been going on for a near week.

Grim would spend hours training in combat, refusing to acknowledge Obi-Wan's existence, sleep very little at night, and when she did she seemed to wake in a panic. In fact, since his return Obi-Wan noticed plenty of subtle differences in his padawan.

He was sure her giving him the cold-shoulder would end in time, once she wasn't as angry about the mission. Yet the subtle shifts in Grim's mood and behavior, he doubted those would go away. Something had happened to her while he had been undercover.

Obi-Wan had brought up his concerns with Master Windu, as he had been the one watching Grim while Obi-Wan was "dead". Windu had informed Obi-Wan that Grim had defied his orders to stay at the Temple and had gotten injured on an outing. Grim had claimed to have "failed some parkour" but her injuries hadn't matched the claim. Let alone the fact that failing parkour on Coruscant nearly always led to a broken bone of some sort if not death.

Which only led to the question: how had she really been injured and why had she lied?

This time the training droid had won.

Grim seemed to stare at the droid with wide eyes for a moment, before deactivating it and brushing herself off. Okay, maybe some rest was required. Although she didn't want to sleep, afraid of having another nightmare about Sidious. She decided meditation would work just fine. Grim left the room without giving a single glance to her Master.

The padawan went to the gardens and found her usual spot within them. She closed her eyes and sunk into the Force. She felt the lights of the Jedi and it brought her hope. She held onto that light, feeling each member of her family. She always felt comfortable here at the Temple, here in the gardens. She was safe here. Here the pain couldn't touch her.

Tomorrow was the day she had selected to get answers from Sidious. A week after Obi-Wan had returned from his mission, and a week after Sidious had won again, without anyone knowing. That night she went to bed, hoping the nightmares wouldn't return.

She woke up the next day after a broken sleep. She had that nightmare again. She couldn't shake the memory of the fight.

Sidious knew about her.

It was still early in the morning. The sun was rising in the sky. Grim got dressed for the day, and looked to see Obi-Wan was still sleeping. She was surprised, as he normally woke up around the same time as her, but she was alright with it. After all, she was still pretending he was dead, and Obi-Wan needed the rest.

Grim got herself a quick breakfast before going for an early morning meditation. The gardens were beautiful this time of day, of course they always were. She found her spot underneath a tree and sunk into the force feeling the light.

Her common sense told her that she was being foolish. However she was too stubborn to listen.

After she finished her morning meditation Grim snuck out of the Temple and headed to her target. The Sith Lord who secretly ruled the Republic.

Grim snuck through the vents, and dropped down in front of Palpatine. As she had suspected (and hoped), he was completely alone. However what she didn't expect was that he was ready for her. Everything was already covered and hidden, so nobody would see what was about to happen.

Maybe this was a bad idea, but it's too late now.

"Back again?" he asked her. "Well don't worry, this time you won't escape."

He ignited his red lightsaber.

Grim froze in fear - her face draining of color and blood running cold, as she realized she was once more trapped with the Sith behind everything she swore to prevent.

She unclipped her own weapon from her belt, drawing the blade as it cast the room in a soft purple glow.

She glared at the Sith, her weapon pointed at him as she stood in the opening stance of Soresu.

"Your move, Hideous," she challenged him.

The Sith accepted the child's challenge and the duel between the two began.

Their lightsabers crashed together as purple and red sparks landed harmlessly on the ground.

Despite being only a padawan Grim put up a good fight.

Having learned from the war torn galaxy, she was growing to be a soldier who would fight to defend her family.

Although this time around she could not ignore the fact that her reasons were more selfish.

Even so the Sith was stronger than the padawan and he defeated the child with ease. Sidious overpowered Grim and his lightsaber sliced the left side of her face.

Grim grabbed her face and stumbled back, landing on the ground with the Sith hovering above her, his lightsaber at her neck.

"Now child, there is nowhere left to run," he hissed quietly.

"What do you want with me?" Grim choked, as the tears built in the corners of her eyes.

"In our last encounter you said something," Sidious replied. He met the padawan's level and tilted her chin to force her to look at him. "So tell me, what did you mean by this universe?"

Grim shut her eyes in an act of defiance against the Sith.

She would not give him what he wanted, the galaxy depended on that.

Her heart pounded in her chest.

She fought against the tears that built in an act to show she would resist - to not allow him see her as weak.

Although with Sidious so close to her face she knew that he saw the beginnings of tears in her eyes, and even if he were not a Sith he would be able to tell she was terrified.

There is no emotion, there is peace, she recited in her head.

The line of the Jedi mantra allowed her to settle her nerves and focus despite her fear.

Grim opened her eyes again and glared at the Sith - not with rage - but with a burning determination.

"What do you think I meant, Palpabitch?" she retorted, spitting in his face.

Sidious wiped it off and stood over the padawan.

He reached out his hands, pointing the tips of his fingers at Grim - she realized what was about to happen, but before she could react to defend herself from the incoming blow, the lightning hit her.

A scream ripped through the padawan as her body erupted into pain.

She felt as if her body were on fire as she writhed on the ground at the Sith Lord's feet.

Briefly she wondered if this was what death felt like - if this would be where she died. Screaming on the ground before a Sith Lord.

Sidous's laughter rang in her ears as it became the only thing she could hear, even her own screams had been silenced by the agony and humiliation.

Eventually after what felt like an entierty of suffering, the pain subsied and the torture stopped.

"Now child," Sidious said - Grim barely made out the words, the pain still existing in her body. "Answer the question, what did you mean by this universe? How exactly do you know so much?"

The tears fell more - she hadn't even noticed the start of them.

She shook with pain and fear and looked up at the Sith - her resistance and resolve broken.

She placed a hand on the cut on her face - proof that she had lost.

She gave in, "I'm from another universe where this one is fictional."

"And how much of this 'fiction' do you know?"

Finding her courage once more Grim glared at the Sith and remarked, "enough to stop you."

Grim slapped a hand over her mouth realizing she had only caused herself more torture by the Sith Lord.

She looked up at him with wide eyes full of fear, but as he prepared to strike her with another blow of lightning a spark ignited in Grim's heart.

She was not giving up that easily.

She glared at Sidious before kicking him between the legs and shoving him back.

The vents would do no good for an escape route, besides Sidious was already standing again.

Desperate to escape the Sith she ran at the window and leapt through.

Grim realized her mistake too late.

She fell freely through the early morning air traffic until she managed to grab the edge of a passing speeder. "Hey!" exclaimed the driver.

"Sorry!" the Padawan replied. She let go of the edge and rolled onto the rooftop of a nearby building.

She stood on the roof and watched as the speeders passed by above her.

Her heart pounded in her chest and her body screamed at her as it still suffered through the torture she had endured. Grim fell to her knees as the reality of the situation dawned on her.

The tears she had been fighting back began to spill as she allowed herself to be weak.

Nobody here could see her.

Slowly she brought her hand to her face and traced the place where the lightsaber had cut into her flesh. She winced at the touch and pulled herself into a hug.

That was sure to leave a scar.

A permanent mark of Sidious' victory.

Although it was only a victory in battle, who would win the war was still undetermined.

From what she could gather the scar went from her jawline right to the spot between her nose and mouth, not quite touching it but close. Impossible to cover, this would be noticed, and it would be spotted quite easily.

She needed an excuse, she couldn't return to the Temple without one. Would the fact she jumped out a window work as an excuse? How many people would recognize the injury? She should tell someone about what had happened, but what if Sidious did something?

She couldn't think straight. She didn't feel safe on this roof. What would Sidious do? And with the damage she caused to his window, would that be noticed? If so she had to get away from the crime scene. She would figure it out if somebody ever asked her. For now she had to get to the Temple.

Sneaking into the Jedi Temple was harder than sneaking out, but she managed to avoid being spotted by anybody. She was heading back to her room, hoping to sleep away the pain of having been tortured by Sidious. She could not go to the Halls Of Healing for this. The lightsaber wound would be recognized immediately, and it would earn too many questions. Could she say it was a training accident? Would anyone believe that?

Of course Grim wasn't having a very lucky day, and she walked right into Obi-Wan who noticed her injuries instantly. "Grim, what happened?" he asked her.

Grim tried to shrug him off, and continued to go to her room.

Obi-Wan stood in front of her and crossed his arms. "You can't keep acting like I'm dead, Grim. And now you're injured, you're bleeding even, so tell me, what happened?"

She was bleeding? Grim hadn't noticed any blood. Oh, perhaps jumping out a window was even dumber than she had thought. "I jumped out a window?" she sounded unsure of herself.

"You jumped out a window?" Obi-Wan repeated slowly. "Why were you jumping out a window?"

"Umm..." Grim hadn't thought this through.

That was when the realization hit her. She had told Sidious the truth. That she was from another universe. Suddenly, without warning she started crying.

This took Obi-Wan by surprise. "Grim?" he asked worriedly.

It was then he noticed the scar on her face. His eyes widened in instant recognition. That was a lightsaber scar. What happened? Something told him it wasn't a training accident.

He hugged Grim. At first she tensed at the contact. Still in fight or flight. Then, she melted into it and hugged him back, sobbing into his chest. "I'm so sorry Master, I've been so petty, acting like you were dead, and now I've been such an idiot," she sobbed.

"Shh," Obi-Wan said gently, soothing his padawan. "It's alright Grim, I forgive you. What happened?"

She looked up at him, her emerald eyes shimmered with tears, her hair was a mess, and her face was covered in small cuts, and there was that scar on her face. It was impossible to miss. "I was an idiot, I should listen to you more often," she told him.

Obi-Wan could tell she wouldn't say more. "We should get you to the healers."

"Do I have to?" She whined.

"Yes," he told her. Gentle yet firm.

Grim was too spent from her fight with Sidious to argue with Obi-Wan. So she allowed him to lead her to the Halls Of Healing.

The Jedi that took care of Grim was Alma Hart, a kind togruta with yellow skin, the markings on her face consisted of hearts and the markings on her lekku were light blue. She was soft spoken and very kind. This was not the first time Alma had taken care of Grim after a reckless adventure, however this was the most reckless of the padawan's adventures.

Again Grim's scar was immediately noticed and recognized. The padawan cursed herself for being so stupid. Of course a Temple full of Jedi would recognize a lightsaber scar on sight. She was preparing the training accident excuse when her other injuries were noticed. Cuts from when she had jumped through the window, and less obvious but still there, were the signs of having been electrocuted.

"Padawan Kennet, I need to know. What happened?" Alma asked her. "What caused these injuries, because they don't look like an accident."

Grim was quiet and didn't respond. If she told Alma about her battle with a Sith Lord what would Alma do? What would Sidious do? "It was an accident, I swear, an honest accident. I got a bit reckless is all," she lied.

"You should know better to lie to a Jedi, Grim. Especially healers, we're very in-tune with people. What really happened? I need your honesty, I can't help you if I don't know."

"Isn't knowing I'm hurt and what my injuries are enough? Do you need to know how I got them?" Grim asked.

"Yes," Alma told her firmly. "How did you get both a lightsaber scar and electrocuted in the same accident? We're on Coruscant it's not like-"

Grim laughed, "I could get into a fight? You'd be surprised."

Her response said enough to concern the healer. "Really then? I've seen a lot of things, Padawan Kennet, try me."

Grim realized she made a mistake. Quickly to cover it up she tried to make a joke, "Master Yoda says d-"

Master Hart looked annoyed. "You're not getting out of this, Grim. You need to tell somebody what happened. We're worried for you."

"I understand, I mean my injuries are concerning. But I promise you it was just an accident."

Alma was unconvinced, but could see that Grim was stubborn and wasn't going to back down from her excuse. "Just tell somebody the truth," she sighed. "And I recommend it being your Master. Master Kenobi has probably already noticed the same things I have."

"I will, Master Hart," she lied.

Alma could tell the truth.

Grim remained in the Halls Of Healing for an hour longer before she was released, the healing of the Jedi Temple was some of the best in the Republic, so it didn't take too long to recover. When Grim was dismissed she found not only Obi-Wan waiting on her but Anakin and Ahsoka as well.

Obi-Wan had told them that Grim had gotten injured, but he hadn't mentioned the scar. The two Jedi were surprised to see it. And both were very worried, but also relieved Grim was okay.

Ahsoka rushed over to Grim and almost kissed her before remembering the presence of the other Jedi, and settled for a hug instead. "I'm so glad you're okay Grim, Skyguy and I were so worried about you," she whispered.

Grim hugged Ahsoka back, "it's alright Ash, I'm fine, I just had an accident is all."

Ahsoka wasn't convinced but didn't say anything. She pulled back from the hug and traced Grim's scar, and frowned slightly.

Grim laughed nervously, "what, is something wrong? Do you not like it?"

"You shouldn't have a scar like that at our age," she whispered sadly.

"We shouldn't be commanders at our age, Ash," Grim replied with just as much sorrow.

"No, but all we've done as padawans is fight, haven't we?" Ahsoka asked.

"It certainly seems that way," replied Grim.

Ahsoka walked back to Obi-Wan and Anakin, and Grim followed her.

Anakin put a hand on Grim's shoulder, "I'm glad you're alright, Tiny, you had us worried," he told her.

Grim laughed and smiled at Anakin, "well I'm tougher than I look, Skywalker."

But inside, I'm just as broken.