Lost and Longing.

His tone was direct and reassuring, especially in contrast to Ahsoka's shouting from moments earlier, but could be heard even over the whirlwind around them. "You are not nothing. You never were. They didn't take everything from you. You may not be a Jedi anymore but you are still who you are."

"You are Ahsoka Tano, and what you are now is my apprentice," He stated, his tone one of firm declaration.

Harry's eyes widened slightly as the moment he finished the statement, he felt magic, powerful and primal, wash over himself and Ahsoka in a way he had never experienced before. There was now a new presence in his mind, one that bypassed every shield he possessed. He could tell, whatever it was that just occurred, had forged some sort of connection.

It was completely unprecedented amongst all his past experiences. He wondered what had happened but sure it was something to do with his normal luck, but he didn't have time to examine it at the moment.

Ahsoka's breath hitched at his words. She was too lost in her emotions to tell the difference between that magic and Harry's at the moment. She looked up at him for the briefest of moments and between one instant and the next she had thrown herself forward, her face pressing into his chest as her arms wrapped around his body. It was like a dam bursting as she immediately broke out into heart wrenching sobs. Sobs that somehow got even stronger when Harry wrapped his arms around her.

Ahsoka and Shaak Ti both stared from behind their cover. The instant the words passed Harry's lips they both felt a wave in the Force. Once more it was a sensation neither of them had ever experienced. It was like the Force was ever so briefly trumpeting in exultation.

Harry was unaware of this, and didn't have time to examine whatever the hell he had probably just put his foot into with the wave of magic washing over him. His focus was on the sobbing girl in his arms. His voice was soft and reassuring when he spoke. "And I give you my word that I am not going to abandon you."

He knew it was impulsive. But he also knew it was what Ahsoka needed in that moment. It had been a long time but he remembered exactly what it was like to feel the way she was. The horror that was his fifteenth and sixteenth years, the loss and abandonment he felt from nearly every corner.

Only he had friends who weren't going to let him sink down on his own. He shuddered to think what might have happened to him, what paths he might have taken if he had been alone then. He wasn't going to let Ahsoka Tano, someone who reminded him so much of himself in some ways, and so different in others, feel she was facing it alone.

As for Ahsoka, the past two emotionally draining weeks had finally caught up with her. The treason of someone she considered a friend, then the continued feeling of betrayal after betrayal. Everywhere she turned seemed to make it worse, and spending time sorting her memories and reliving the experiences all built upon one another.

Shaak Ti's comment was just the final nudge and now it was all coming out in a torrent of backed up emotions.

And to top it all off, Harry wasn't scolding her for her emotions. He was just holding her, supporting her weight with ease and running a hand up and down her back gently.

The storm of emotions slowly calmed in her and the whirling around them slowed and there was the sound of clattering and thumping as things fell from the air wherever they were floating. The two Jedi Master's had poked their heads out from behind the table to see Ahsoka enveloped in Harry's arms.

When her sobs had subsided and were down to little hiccups of breath, Harry murmured quietly into her montral, his tone gentle and reassuring. "You did good."

That had surprised Ahsoka. She wasn't sure what she expected, though she wasn't entirely shocked when she wasn't scolded or judged. She was stunned at the approval and from her vantage point looking up at Harry, she couldn't see Shaak Ti's eyes narrow at his reaction and encouragement.

Harry, while catching it out of the corner of his eye, ignored it. His voice was gentle as he explained quietly. "I've told you before, you shouldn't hold anger and hurt like that in. It will poison you. Now you can let it go, rather than just ignore it like those morons would tell you to do. Ignoring it and pretending it doesn't exist doesn't help you either. Now you can organize the memory just like you're doing the others."

She leaned her torso back slightly and looked up at him, searching his face for any sign that he was misleading her.

Harry shook his head to her unasked question and spoke very quietly, "Your occlumency is coming along very quickly. Once you sort through these last emotional memories it's a very small step to being able to defend and shield your mind. Not to mention hide yourself."

She studied his face a moment more before she nodded a little bit and then pressed close again, just hugging him tightly, occasional sniffles being heard as she allowed the rest of her emotions to flow out.

That action seemed to surprise Harry momentarily but he returned to stroking her back comfortingly. His voice lightened slightly and his tone turned teasing. "Also... gotta say, cursing your former 'superiors' out. Telling them to do things that may not be anatomically possible," he sniffed and wiped a fake tear. "I do believe there's nothing more I can teach you about the possible stupidity of authority."

Ahsoka's body jerked slightly at a strangled laugh at Harry's comment but she didn't pull away, and he didn't attempt to push her away.

Aayla seemed like she wanted to say something. A sharp look from Harry cut her off before she could get started.

Ahsoka turned her head to look around the room, though she didn't pull away from Harry's comforting embrace. She had to blink at the destruction of the area. Trunks and jewelry were tossed everywhere, and she was pretty sure that she saw pieces of the chairs scattered all over the place. Her voice was soft and full of regret, "I'm sorry I made a mess…"

"Don't be. I told you sorting your memories would reopen some old wounds and might cause some accidental magic," Harry's voice was reassuring as he chuckled softly, his torso shaking slightly as he did. A sensation Ahsoka felt pressed up against him. It felt rather nice she decided. Comforting even.

"When I was working on occlumency initially, I experienced some things similar to what you've had over the past couple of weeks. I ended up destroying the office of my school headmaster. Dealing with recent trauma is always hard," Harry's voice was soothing, and he smiled slightly. "Of course I also had a crap occlumency teacher, so that didn't help."

Harry murmured quietly to Ahsoka, "Rest. Finish sorting your memories when you wake up. Then if you want we can test and reinforce your defenses a little bit."

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