❝ i don't think i was ever meant to
amount to anything. ❞

―

CARINA GAVE THE NURSE A smile as she finished up wrapping her wound in a bandage, "Thank you." The woman bowed her head slightly in respect, "Of course, General Algora. Try not to put too much pressure on your arm while it heals."

Carina nodded her head in understanding, "Will do." The nurse collected her items before excusing herself from the room. The Jedi Knight's posture slouched ever so slightly as she let out a sigh, pursing her lips as she gazed at the wall.

The brunette straightened up once again as the door creaked open, revealing Anakin who careful stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him. Carina visibly relaxed as she smiled at the blonde who leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest as the girl stood from her seat.

"All better?"

Carina gave her lover a look, "A small wound isn't going to permanently immobilize me, Ani."

Anakin merely shrugged, "I'd rather not take any chances." the male pushed himself off of the wall as he slowly began to approach the brunette, slipping his arms around her waist as he gazed into her auburn eyes, "I've missed you."

Carina placed her hands flat on his chest as she smiled, "We've been in each other's line of sight basically the entire time."

Anakin shook his head as his grip on her tightened, "But not like this. I've barely been able to hold you close, I thought I would go insane because of it."

Carina playfully scrunched up her nose as she slightly tilted her head, "I doubt you would lose your mind just because of me."

"You'd be surprised."

Anakin leaned his head down, softly pressing his forehead upon hers as he reached one of his gloved hands to cup the side of her face, "This mission is going to be a nightmare."

Carina softly chuckled, "It definitely will be if you go into it with that mindset."

Anakin let out a heavy sigh as he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, "I just want to spend time with you."

Carina leaned up to press a quick peck on the blondes lips, "Soon."

Anakin closed the gap between their lips as his grip on her waist tightened, his hand running through her chestnut locks.

Carina closed her eyes as moved her lips on his, reaching a hand up to rest on the nape of his neck.

Anakin pulled their bodies closer together as if it was even possible, needing to feel her. Her touch, as always, was able to bring him a comfort he never found anywhere else.

Carina ran her fingers through his blonde hair that was now growing.

Anakin's moments came to a halt as his comlink began to beep. The blonde pulled back with irritation visible in his eyes, severely reluctant to let go of his wife who gave him a comforting smile.

Anakin kissed Carina's lips once more before letting go of her entirely as he answered the call, "General Skywalker, the Troopers have returned from the planet."

Anakin held in a sigh as he pursed his lips, "Alright, I'm on my way."

Carina rolled her shoulders back as she straightened up, "Back to work."

Anakin's hand was on the handle as Carina approached him, the blonde set a chaste kiss to her head before opening the door as the two slipped out, keeping a safe distance between them.

The couple entered the landing area as the two Clone Troopers stepped off the cruiser, nearing the two Jedi Knights.

"Lieutenant, did the kidnappers see you?"

The trooper shook his head, "No, sir. We're the best scouts in the regiment." Carina pressed her lips firmly together, "What of the bounty hunters?"

"We haven't seen them in awhile."

R2 rolled into Carina's side as Anakin questioned the two, "Well, what are we up against?"

The trooper pulled out a holographic map of the building as he spoke, "Looks like at least two droid battalions protecting a monastery. It's heavily fortified, General's, you won't be able to land there."

"Good work, get some rest." Anakin told the troopers before turning around as Carina followed beside him. The brunette raised a curious brow upon seeing a huddle of clone troopers circling a very familiar young girl.

"That sounds like a lot, even for a Jedi." Carina heard one of the clones say. The Algora girl crossed her arms over her chest as she and Anakin walked through the small crowd.

"I heard you were surrounded by droids. How did you ever get the shield down?" Another trooper questioned Ahsoka who happily answered, "Okay, so there's a wall behind him with a hole in the middle so I pull the wall down on top of the droids, destroying them, and saving the General."

Carina held an amused smile as the clones looked back at Anakin, "Is that true, sir?"

"Well, most of it."

"That means definitely." Carina spoke to which the troopers let out soft laughs. General Skywalker rolled his eyes before speaking up, "All right, men, we still got a job to do."

"Yes, sir. You heard the General, move it."

Carina watched in amusement as Anakin walked up to his padawan, "Would this be a good time to teach you that a Jedi is humble, my young Padawan?"

"Like someone had to teach you?" the Jedi Knight raised a questioning brow at her husband as Ahsoka let out a laugh, "Seems like someone was like me."

Carina nodded in agreement, "He was worse, much worse."

Anakin glanced between the two, "Is this gonna be a daily thing now? You two just teaming up on me?" Carina smiled sweetly, "Perhaps."

―

Carina gripped the handle bar tighter as the cruiser she was in lurked from side to side, the brunette had her Jedi robes on with her hood covering her head as she gazed at the incoming message from Obi-Wan, "Alright, Carina, Anakin, here's the story. Jabba has given us only one planetary rotation to get his son back home to Tatooine safe and sound."

"Won't take us that long, Master."

Carina adjusted her grip on the handle as she muttered under her breath, "Don't jinx it now." Obi-Wan gave his former apprentice a look, "Well, take extreme care. We have no idea who's holding Jabba's son. When I've finished negotiations with him, I will join you two."

The call cut out and Carina pursed her lips tightly together, brows knitting together as she began to clear her mind. Anakin gazed down at Ahsoka who looked up at him, "Stay close to me, if you can."

"It won't be a problem, Master."

Anakin gave his young apprentice a look, "This isn't practice, Ahsoka."

"I know, and I'll try not to get you killed."

The cruiser suddenly began rumbling and shaking, Carina glanced over at Anakin who was already watching her as the pilot of the cruiser spoke up loudly, "General's! We're taking heavy fire."

"Close the blast shields, Lieutenant." Carina quickly ordered as Anakin sternly vocalized, "Get us under those guns."

Darkness fell over the ship as the blast shields closed themselves off, red dime lights shining above them as Carina readied herself.

"Red light, stand by."

Ahsoka watched the troopers get into formation as they set their blasters. Carina felt Anakin place a hidden hand on the small part of her back, catching her by surprise as she gazed up into his blue eyes that held concern, and worry.

Carina gave her husband a smile small as he removed his hand to keep from being caught. The brunette gazed at the trooper that spoke up, "Welcome to paradise, rockjumpers."

The red lights dimed to a lime green just as the cruiser doors opened, "Green light! Go, go, go."

Carina quickly unclipped her Jedi robe off she her hand instinctively grabbed ahold of her lightsaber before she leapt onto the firm solid ground, crossfire already purging the atmosphere as she deflected any shots fired at her.

"Watch it! Watch it!"

"Hurry."

Carina kept running forward, spinning her saber before her in attempts to avoid getting hit just as Anakin shouted, "Follow me."

The clone troopers as well as Ahsoka and Carina herself ran to the large cliff, her back hitting the wall as Anakin stood beside her stealing a glance at her before his attention was attained by a fallen battle droid that splattered onto the ground.

Ahsoka blinked before chirping, "So, this is where the fun begins." Carina slightly chuckled, "If that's how you wanna put it."

Anakin gazed down at his padawan, "Race you to the top."

A competitive glint shone in Ahsoka's eyes, "I'll give you a head start."

"Your mistake."

Anakin was quick to leap and grab ahold of the ascension cables as he began his climb up the mountain. Carina shook her head before jumping to grab the one beside him, blocking in coming fire as she ascended upwards.

The troopers followed behind the two Jedi Knights, their blasters firing up at the battle droids as the walkers treaded up the cliff. Carina continued dodging blasts as her movements became quicker as she escalated upwards, now directly beside Anakin as the two held their igniting weapons before them.

Carina slashed her saber through an incoming fallen droid, the brunette heard gunfire from below and looked down to see droids on flying speeders shooting at the walker Ahsoka was perched upon. The young padawan seemed to have lost her balance as she tumbled backwards, gripping onto the ledge of the vehicle.

Carina pursed her lips, planting her feet firmly on the mountain before pushing herself outwards, doing an in-air spin as she slashed through the droid, landing on ones speeder before she dodged blasts aimed at her.

Anakin was quick to follow in her pursuit as he landed on the speeder beside her, taking care of the other droid as Carina aimed the vehicles built in gun at the battle droid that was firing at Ahsoka.

Carina stopped for a short moment as she gazed at the young girl, "You all right?"

Ahsoka pulled herself back onto her feet, she reassuringly nodded, "Yeah, thanks." Ahsoka slightly mumbled, a bit embarrassed she had to be helped. Carina gave the girl a sympathetic smile knowing she once hated having to be saved as well.

The Algora girl hummed, "See you at the top." she sped on the speeder, the vehicle making it much easier to escalate the mountain as she held her saber with one hand.

The brunette could vaguely hear Anakin call out to Ahsoka, "Gotta keep up." The brunette shook her head as her husband fell into her side, Carina side eyed her husband, "You know, one of these days I'm going to make Ahsoka witness you and I training."

Anakin gaped at the Jedi Knight, "Don't put me through that."

Carina bit back an amused smile as she continued firing at incoming droids as she picked up her speed, leaving Anakin in the dust as she shouted, "Gotta keep up."

Carina inched closer and closer to the platform as the battle droids rushed to shoot her down, the brunette lunged up from the speeder, landing on her feet in the middle of multiple droids aiming their blasters menacingly at her, "Surrender, Jedi."

Carina smiled widely as she ignited her gold saber, slashing through a droid before spinning on her heel as she dodged multiple shots fired at her right on time as Anakin leapt into her side, taking care of the droids that had been firing at her before throwing them off of the platform.

Carina slashed her saber through the last droid just as three droidekas rolled into view, putting up their shields as they positioned their guns at the couple. The brunette adjusted her grip on her saber as Anakin muttered under his breath, "Damn it, Ahsoka. I told you to stay close to me."

The three droidekas were suddenly blown apart, left in pieces as Carina and Anakin turned to see Ahsoka standing on the walker with her arms crossed over her chest, a coy smile gracing her lips, "I can't get much closer, Skyguy."

Anakin smiled at his young apprentice, "I knew you'd get here, Snips. Eventually."

"Always in time to save your life."

Carina shut off her saber before she slipped it back into her utility belt as Rex approached her and Anakin, "All clear, General's."

The Algora girl nodded at the trooper, "Thanks, Rex. Good work. Make sure the wounded get attention."

"Roger that, General."

The three Jedi along with Rex gazed down at the destroyed battle droids. Carina pursed her lips in thought whilst her brows furrowed together, "There's one too many droids for this to merely be renegades."

Anakin nodded in agreement with his wife, "I sense Count Dooku's hand in this." Ahsoka caught sight of Carina's gaze visibly harden upon the name of the Sith. Anakin glanced between the brunette and Rex, "Let's find Jabba's son and get outta here."

"No problem. The hard part's over." Ahsoka chimed in as Carina shook her head, "The hard part is never over."

Carina and Anakin turned, Ahsoka following in pursuit as they began to approach the large entrance with troopers lingering behind them with their blasters at the ready.

The large gate began to creak upwards, allowing the group to tread inside the dark cave as Carina watched out for any surprise visitors.

The troopers turned on the flashlights their helmets held as Rex spoke up, "I don't like this place. It gives me the creeps." Ahsoka inspected their surroundings as she thought out loud, "This looks like one of those B'omarr monk monasteries that I read about in my studies at the Temple."

Carina nodded slightly, "Smugglers take these monasteries over turn them into their own personal retreats." Ahsoka gazed up at the brunette in curiosity, "And the monks just let them?"

"Smugglers usually get what they want, one way or another." Anakin answered his padawan just as metal could be heard rattling. Carina lit her saber, narrowing her eyes as a droid came into view. Ahsoka glanced between Anakin and Carina, "Uh, good guy or bad guy?"

"Who are you?" Anakin loudly questioned as he pointed his blue lit saber at the robot. The droid continued approaching them before finally speaking, "Merely the humble caretaker, O mighty sir. You have liberated me from those dreadful battle bots. I am most thankful."

Suspicion was evident in Carina's gaze as she blinked, something wasn't right.

"Where is the Hutt?" Anakin sternly questioned, to which the droid was oddly quick to respond, "The battle bots kept their prisoners on the detention level. I must warn you it is very dangerous down there, my friend." The robot glanced over at young Ahsoka, "Not a place for a servant girl."

Carina raised her saber, inching it dangerously close to the droids neck, "Watch it." Ahsoka's gaze hardened at the robot as she spun her lightsaber, "Do servant girls carry these? I'm a Jedi Knight." Anakin sent his padawan a look and she quickly corrected herself, "Or soon will be."

"A thousand apologies, young one."

Carina shut her weapon off as she slipped it back into her utility belt while Anakin spoke to Rex, "Captain, we'll get the Hutt. Stay here and keep your eyes open."

"Copy that, sir."

Anakin caught up with the two girls as he watched Carina's stern expression, mentally debating if he should bring it up, "What's the matter, Carina?"

Ahsoka glanced at her Master before turning her attention towards Carina who spoke, "Something about this whole mission doesn't feel right."

Ahsoka tilted her head in curiosity, "What do you mean, Master Algora?"

Carina pursed her lips, closing her eyes as she shook her head, "Nothing, I just felt like I was missing something. I'm sure it's nothing."

But that didn't stop the Algora girl from wondering why everything had been going smoothly, perhaps a bit too much.

―

AUTHORS NOTE, can you tell i want to get into ROTS already?