Not Her

Chapter 11

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Even as a Knight, the old 'I'm going to run away' trick is Anakin's go-to.

This time though, Obi-Wan's worried Anakin will genuinely leave. Obi-Wan has always told himself he would never force Anakin to stay in the Order, but taking Ahsoka away as well?

The Jedi Order is her life. She's never known any other family, home, or lifestyle. With her injuries, would she even be able to survive outside the Order?

It was the Order that gave her those injuries, wise one.

"Well?" Anakin asks, crosses his arms over his chest, his Force-signature pulsing like a grenade. "I'm waiting, and I'm not known for my patience."

He isn't.

Obi-Wan rubs the back of his head, feels like he's stood in front of Master Qui-Gon instead of his own Apprentice, "You're not going to like this."

Anakin raises an amused brow although he's anything but amused. "Really?"

Obi-Wan decides to just bite the bullet. "I volunteered for this mission because I knew my death could be convincingly faked by using your reaction to seal the deal."

It sounds so stupid when he says it out loud.

Anakin's right eye twitches, "My reaction?"

"Everyone knows how close we are." Obi-Wan emphasises, "I took a vital suppressor and wore the bulletproof vest. The plan was for Hardeen to shoot me and supposedly kill me. Killing a Jedi is a sure way for a bounty hunter to be accepted as one of Dooku's pawns."

He watches Anakin swallow hard before speaking, "You were going to fake your death?"

"That was the original plan, yes." Obi-Wan says, "Ahsoka was never supposed to be put in harm's way, that's why I told her to stay on the street."

"She takes after me when it comes to following orders." Anakin mutters before raising his voice, "Besides, she saw you were about to be shot! If I had been closer, I would've done the same!"

"I know." Obi-Wan keeps his voice low- yelling back at Anakin never works. "It was only after Ahsoka fell off the rooftop that I realised how flawed the Council's plan was."

"It wouldn't have been flawed if Ahsoka and I had been told what was going to happen." Anakin says, and he's absolutely right.

Silence follows, and Obi-Wan waits a while before pressing for conversation. Considering Anakin hasn't punched a hole in the wall yet, he's taking the news well, but he doesn't want to test him.

"As I said," Obi-Wan walks towards him carefully, as if he's a wild animal, "we didn't intend for Ahsoka, or you, to be at any risk-"

"What if he killed you?!" Anakin roars, making Obi-Wan wince. "What if you fell off the building after being shot? Ahsoka was kriffing lucky to survive!"

"You've had to hold your Master's dead body, Obi-Wan. Ahsoka is younger than you were when Master Qui-Gon died. Were you willing to make me- or her- hold your body?"

He remembers Ahsoka telling him about her visions where she finds him dead.

He feels sick. Why did he never consider how much his 'death' would affect two of the most important people in his life?

Anakin and Ahsoka are his everything, and he was willing to hurt them.

"Brother, I would never wish that on either of you in a million years. You and Ahsoka are... You two are the only family I have left." He takes a deep breath, feels completely ashamed, "Unfortunately, the Council had no other choice but to go through with this plan."