Underestimate Me ⇝ anakin skywalker x reader {book 1}

65.

I stood watching his trial. Caleb has been charged with sedition against the Jedi Order, and the Republic. The bombing was said to be done by him, I couldn't believe it for a second. I have been freaking out this entire time.

"This isn't right." I muttered.

"We'll find who it is." Anakin held my shoulder.

"We're not doing anything." I began walking out. I couldn't let anyone else I love near this. And Anakin was the lead on this case, I could barely look at him.

"What are you talking about?" He ran after me. "(Y/N), you can't just leave your padawan."

"I'm not leaving him, I'm going to find out who did this." I told him.

"Let me come with you!" He caught up to me. "I was on this case I want to help you find anything else that doesn't lead to him."

"No, Anakin. I need you to stay here with him." I stopped him.

"(Y/N), he doesn't need me. He needs you." He tried. I stared at him and I felt the conflict deep within me. I wanted to stay with him, but he needs me to get him out of this. I know he couldn't have done this. He was just a kid. He was a 14 year old kid, and as many questions as he asks it was going to lead him to being an excellent Jedi Knight. I wanted to do everything I could to protect him.

"It's too dangerous.." He whispered.

"Anakin, I'm pregnant not dying." I assured him. He didn't say anything. He only took in a deep breath.

"Let Ahsoka and I get to the bottom of this, please." He pleaded me.

"We better find Asajj Ventress." I said. Ventress was the last person Caleb was seen with while he was on the run to find his own innocence. Ventress, as much as we hated her, was our best bet.

~

We did it. We proved his innocence. Barriss Offee. Ahsoka's best friend went to the dark side, she used Caleb to steer evidence away from herself. She believed the Jedi Order to be corrupt. And that we were on the wrong side of this war.

Caleb, after being suspended from the Order while the trial occurred and almost being found guilty to the Republic was released. Together we stood there before Caleb, the Jedi Council, Anakin, Ahsoka, and I to apologize for their wrongness. When he entered the room I ran and hugged him close to me. I had stressed for so much time about losing him. I couldn't.

"I'm so sorry, Caleb, for everything." I whispered in his ear. He didn't say anything to me as we walked to confront the council. Something about him felt different.

"Padawan Dume, on behalf of the entire Jedi Order we apologize. We were wrong to accuse you." Master Windu said.

"You have shown such resilience in your fight to prove your innocence." Master Mundi nodded.

"This is the true sign of a Jedi Knight." Master Plo said.

"This was a greater trial for you than we could've offered otherwise." Master Windu spoke again. Caleb folded his arms, "Because of this you will become a greater Jedi."

"Back to the order, you may come." Master Yoda spoke.

Caleb just stood there a moment. He didn't say a thing. I took out the braid they cut from him when he was ruled out of the Order. I offered it to him,

"They're asking you back, Caleb. I'm asking you back." I said, my hand held out to him his braid. I wanted him to see take it and put it back behind his ear. I wanted him to say yes and come back with me.

"I'm sorry, Master." He said, my heart stopped. He closed my hand and slowly pushed it back to me, "But I'm not coming back."

He said it so strong, like he was much older than he was before all of this. As he said it it was like I was dying, every mission we had been on together flashed before me. Our relationship was so unique. I couldn't believe it. I cared about him and his safety so much. He couldn't possibly be leaving me? I only had him in my life for a few months, and I had already failed him.

He walked out without another word. When the door closed it sunk in. But I couldn't lose him, I won't. My feet began walking before my mind caught up, when I did I began running after him.

I caught up to him at the steps of the temple. The evening sun began to set and I began yelling at him to stop.

"Caleb! Caleb, wait! Stop!" I yelled. He stopped, he slowly turned around to face me. The young boy clenched his jaw and pushed his hair away from his forehead. He did that every time he was uncomfortable. But that wasn't the feeling I was getting from him now. This feeling was much deeper than before.

"Why.." I had to catch my breath, "are you doing this?" I asked.

"The council doesn't trust me, so how can I trust myself?" He turned back away to continue but again I stopped him, I stood in front of him. This wasn't wise for him to leave.

"What about me?" I pleaded, "I believed in you! I stood by you! Even Anakin said how this was a mistake."

"I know you believe in me, (Y/N). But this isn't about you. I can't stay here anymore, not now." I could see a tear swell in his eye but he refused to let it go from his blue eyes.

He couldn't just leave the Order? It reminded me of all the times I've thought about it. But I would never leave him like he was leaving me now. I never wanted to abandon him. Even with this child I was carrying I could never bring myself to leave him. He could've been an amazing Jedi Knight, why couldn't he stay and see it through?

"But the Jedi Order is your life. You can't just throw it away like this!" I pleaded, "Caleb, can't you see you're making a mistake?"

"Maybe I am. But I need to work this out on my own. Without the Council, and without you." He turned away from me, "I still have respect for the light side of the force, and for you, Master, but I can't stay here."

"I understand." I offered my empathy to him, "More than you realize, I understand wanting to leave the Order." I said. I had my own tears surfacing my overwhelming feeling of failure sinking in.

"I know." Were the last words he said to me before he left me standing there in front of the temple.

A part of me wanted to run after him, but I couldn't. I was tied back to this temple everywhere I went, I couldn't leave. I had so many attachments here. Caleb had made none. He was going to be the wisest of Jedi, whether he knew it or not yet. My respect for his decision resonated as I let my silent tears fall.

I hung my head, full of regret and defeat. Master Windu hugged me as I entered the temple, he told me this wasn't my fault. I knew it wasn't. This was in no way my fault, it was the Order that made sweet, innocent, Caleb leave.