A maelstrom of emotions warred within Anakin as Obi-Wan followed him from the council chamber.
He hadn't expected the Chancellor to do something so...forward, nor for the Jedi to actually allow Anakin a space on the Council. Obi-Wan was certainly under no illusions that Anakin was even remotely prepared to be a Master, but everything was happening too quickly, and with little time to explain anything, Obi-Wan worried that this might finally tip Anakin over the edge.
His former Padawan had been so happy to see Ahsoka again, and after their success in their mission to rescue the Chancellor, even if Dooku had escaped. His location remained a mystery for now, but Obi-Wan knew the Count would not stay hidden for long.
In spite of everything, Obi-Wan had been glad to see the spark return to Anakin's eye but the denial of the rank had dashed it immediately.
'This is absurd,' Anakin argued as he walked. 'They put me on the council but not make me a Master? It's never been done in the history of the Jedi. It's insulting.
'You have been given a great honour Anakin. To be on the council at your age – it's never happened before.' A pause, 'The fact of the matter is, you are too close to the chancellor.' Even as he said it his stomach twisted. Obi-Wan always wondered about their strange relationship, and wondered even more if he should have put an end to it far earlier. 'The council doesn't like it when he interferes in Jedi affairs.'
'I swear to you, I didn't ask to be put on the Council,' Anakin's face became earnest.
Obi-Wan knew that, Anakin might hope for it in secret, but he never would have demanded it. 'But it's what you wanted. Your friendship with Chancellor Palpatine seems to have paid off.'
'That has nothing to do with this,' Anakin shook his head.
Politics...Obi-Wan cursed them, and himself as he sucked in a deep breath, 'The only reason the council has approved your appointment is because the Chancellor trusts you.'
'And?' Anakin frowned.
'Anakin, I am on your side,' Obi-Wan hedged. 'I didn't want to put you in this situation.'
'What situation?' Anakin's annoyance was becoming something darker.
'The council wants you to report on all the Chancellor's dealings,' Obi-Wan's gut twisted. 'They want to know what he's up to.'
'They want me to spy on the Chancellor?' Anakin's jaw dropped. 'That's treason.'
'We are at war, Anakin.'
'Why didn't the council give me this assignment before when we were in session?'
'This assignment is not to be on record.'
'Why are you asking this of me? He has looked out for me ever since I arrived here, he's been a mentor and a friend,' Anakin asked in disbelief.
Obi-Wan felt the words like a physical blow. Have I not looked out for you? He wondered. Have I not been your mentor and friend?
When he didn't respond immediately, Anakin stalked off.
'Anakin, wait a moment!' Obi-Wan called, but he did not even slow down, and Obi-Wan jogged to catch up to him.
'Oh come on,' Obi-Wan huffed as Anakin ignored him. 'It will come in time; you need only be patient.'
'Yes, patience,' Anakin muttered under his breath and Obi-Wan cast a worried glance over him. Perhaps it was the stress from the past few days, or perhaps the years of war, but Obi-Wan noted the dark circles under his eyes, the fatigue in his gait.
What has gotten into you lately? Obi-Wan asked silently, knowing that asking such a thing aloud would only lead to an argument, or Anakin trying to freeze him out again. Perhaps Anakin needed to visit Padmé, she always managed to lift his worst moods. Which reminded him...
'Anakin?' Obi-Wan tried again, 'There is something else I must talk to you about. It's important.'
Finally, Anakin slowed. 'Well?'
Obi-Wan hid a smile, he had him now. 'Follow me.'
To his surprise, Anakin did so, mostly in resigned silence. It was a nice change from the constant arguments, though Obi-Wan still felt his anger simmering beneath the surface.
Obi-Wan led him through the halls, down a staircase and into the old sparring room they had frequented when they were younger and Anakin was still a Padawan.
'Well?' Anakin crossed his arms
Obi-Wan grinned, 'Well what?'
All interest dropped from Anakin's face, 'If this is some half-hearted attempt at an apology–'
'Oh no,' Obi-Wan drew his lightsaber. 'This is practice.'
Anakin raised a brow.
'I figured that the months out in the field without any training, you may have grown rusty,' Obi-Wan taunted lightly. Come on, he begged. Any defiance, any quip, he'd take anything to get Anakin out of this depression.
'I am not rusty.'
Obi-Wan lit his blade, 'No? This should be easy then. Unless you're afraid.'
A hit of a smile played on Anakin's lips and Obi-Wan knew he'd caught his apprentice's attention. Still Anakin resisted, 'Master, this isn't a good time.'
'Is that so?' Obi-Wan seized the opportunity, trying to keep Anakin talking. Maybe he'd finally talk to him about whatever it was that had him so...so lost.
Yet the effort fizzled almost immediately, as Anakin shook his head, clamming up.
'A wager then? Something to fight for?' Obi-Wan tried. He knew he had nothing that Anakin wanted, but the glory that came with beating his former Master had always appealed to Anakin.
Something flickered in Anakin's eyes, 'Like what?'
'A question,' Obi-Wan said, surprising even himself. 'If I win, I get to ask you a question, and you must swear to answer me honestly.'
Anakin frowned, 'Why the wager? You can ask me anything.'
Obi-Wan smiled, 'Where's the fun in that?'
Huffing in surrender, Anakin threw his robe to the side, drawing his blade, 'I can't see you giving this up, so fine. I'll play your game. Yes, if you win you can ask your question and I'll answer it.' Anakin thought for only a second, 'I want the same.'
Interesting, Obi-Wan thought. What question did Anakin want answered? More information about the Council? Or something else.
Obi-Wan raised his own brow, 'Very well. Are you ready?'
'Are you?' Anakin smiled, the cheeky glint in his eyes like that of when he was younger. Then he struck.
Obi-Wan had always loved training with Anakin. His former Padawan's sure-strikes and powerful lightsaber attacks had been excellent training for his own ability with the blade.
Still, it was always shocking in those first few seconds how truly deadly Anakin could be with his lightsaber. The flurry of attacks came in rapid-fire and with such force Obi-Wan was reminded of Maul's aggressive attacks. Yet, Anakin's swipes and jabs and parries had a strange kind of effortlessness to them that Obi-Wan only ever saw in Dooku.
Anakin was strong, but he was also clever. Unfortunately, Obi-Wan had watched Anakin's brilliant techniques evolve, and he saw the death-blow coming. In such a training exercise, there was no way Anakin would actually hurt him, but Obi-Wan saw the strike that would incapacitate any enemy, even the most skilled in lightsaber combat.
It was only Obi-Wan's familiarity with Anakin's every move that had him diving out of the way just in time. Unfortunately, it gave Anakin the height advantage, and he rained down blows on Obi-Wan as the Master tried to get to his feet.
A wide swipe with his blade sent Anakin stumbling back, as the tip of the lightsaber barely missed his throat.
'Careful not to get too confident you leave yourself open to attack,' Obi-Wan warned, his mind already filling with dozens of horrible scenarios in which Ventress or Dooku or someone managed a lucky swing.
Anakin growled and continued his attack, and as he advanced again, Obi-Wan saw a flash of a thin gold band beneath his sleeve. A bracelet of some sort, but as he clashed with Anakin again he saw the little initials 'PNA' inscribed on it. Padmé.
The question he wanted to ask solidified in his mind, as did the way to win.
Obi-Wan twirled around, and the two ended up back-to-back for seconds before Obi-Wan spun, turning off his blade to point his hilt at Anakin's side.
In turn, Anakin had his blade to Obi-Wan's throat.
'I win,' Anakin panted.
'Do you?' Obi-Wan poked the hilt closer, and Anakin glanced down at it and then at Obi-Wan. 'A stalemate,' Obi-Wan said. 'I say we both ask our questions.'
For a second, Obi-Wan thought Anakin might argue, and demand a rematch, but it seemed whatever question he had, it was too important.
'You can go first,' Obi-Wan said, hooking his lightsaber on his belt.
Anakin hesitated, fiddling with his lightsaber, 'Hypothetically...if someone were having Force visions, of someone they cared about dying...and something like that had happened before and come true...'
Obi-Wan frowned, 'What is your question?'
'What if you were sure a Force vision would come true, that someone you cared about would die. How would you save them?' Anakin wouldn't look at him, continuing to fiddle with his blade.
'I think I would get help,' Obi-Wan tried his best not to look too intrigued, lest he somehow annoy Anakin. He brushed at his beard, 'I would go to the Masters and ask them for advice, and warn the person I cared about too, but I...I would also trust the Force. It is not always easy, nor painless, but... In my experience, it is always for the best.'
Anakin's face twisted, 'So accept their death and move on?'
'I didn't say that,' Obi-Wan chided. 'Perhaps there is more to your question?'
Anakin shook his head, 'No, it was only a hypothetical.'
'Of course.'
'Your turn,' Anakin sighed, crossing his arms and standing square on. Obi-Wan felt a pang of sadness. It was the same way he stood when he was afraid, or at least, feeling threatened. He'd done it since he was a little boy. Was he so afraid of talking to Obi-Wan?
'Why haven't you talked to me about Padmé?'
Anakin's eyes widened, 'What?'
Obi-Wan continued, 'I know you love her, Anakin, and with her pregnancy...' To think Anakin might become a father? It was strange and scary and yet, so wonderful.
Yet, as Anakin's breaths began to quicken, Obi-Wan felt the panic rising in his friend. 'Anakin?'
'I... that's not... We're not...'
It occurred to him finally that Anakin had kept this a 'secret' from him for years, and broaching the topic now when he was already under so much stress was...probably not the best move.
'You're not in any kind of trouble,' Obi-Wan placed a hand on one of Anakin's very tense shoulders. 'I just... I thought we didn't keep secrets from each other, and I wanted to help.'
Anakin's panicked eyes remained wide, and Obi-Wan thought he might run away. Obi-Wan did his best to ease Anakin's fear and anxiety through the Force, replacing it with the pride and love he had for his former apprentice.
Anakin's eyes widened, and then he did something Obi-Wan never could have predicted. He broke down.
At first his eyes filled, and Anakin choked out a sob, and then as Obi-Wan took a step forward, worried about his former Padawan, Anakin had crumpled.
Through choked sobs, he told Obi-Wan about falling in love with Padmé, their secret marriage not long after he lost his hand. He told Obi-Wan about how Padmé made him feel safe and loved in a way he hadn't felt since his mother. He talked about their secret getaways and their worries and then he told him about the baby.
'I'm so scared,' Anakin finally admitted, sitting beside Obi-Wan on the bench along the wall of the training room. He had buried his face in his hands, while Obi-Wan rubbed soothing circles over his back, the way Qui-Gon had when he had woken from nightmares. 'I can't lose her.'
'Have you thought about bringing her to the temple? We could have her checked into a medical bay for a time, to secure the pregnancy and see if there may be any complications,' Obi-Wan suggested.
'No,' Anakin turned those terrified eyes to him again. 'If anyone found out, Padmé might have to leave the Senate, and if the Master's learned about this...'
'Is your pride worth her life?' Obi-Wan asked as gently as he could.
'Never,' Anakin said, the realisation dawning in his eyes. 'I just...I don't want to give this up. I like being a Jedi–'
'But you were raised differently,' Obi-Wan finished. 'Your experiences made you think differently. They made you more compassionate and more emotional, it is not such a bad thing. It only makes it more challenging for you to learn to control them.'
Anakin raked a hand through his hair, 'That's just it. I don't think I'm ready for this. I love Padmé, and I already know I'll love our child more than anything but... What then? We can't just leave. Not with the war and with the Senate how it is, or the Chancellor...'
'Anakin,' Obi-Wan tried to bring his Padawan back to the present moment. 'One thing at a time. We'll get Padmé checked out first, and then we can reevaluate your place in the war. You're still a brilliant tactician, and an excellent teacher. Perhaps instead of fighting on the frontlines you could be here with Padmé where you could teach younglings. Or, maybe you could go to Kamino, and oversee the training of the clones with Master Shaak Ti. There are options.'
Anakin looked at him with an expression Obi-Wan could not place, before engulfing his old Master in a hug. Obi-Wan rested his chin on Anakin's shoulder as Anakin held him tight.
There was a slight tremble in his old Padawan, but as Anakin pulled back with tears glistening in his eyes, he was smiling, 'Thank you, Obi-Wan.'
'Of course.'
Of course he would help Anakin. Any time, any place. He had always thought it was something that went without saying, but today had proved him otherwise. It didn't matter, from now on, things would be different.
'Anakin?' Obi-Wan said as they got to their feet.
'Yes, Master?'
'Don't let it come to this again,' he gestured to the room. 'You can talk to me. About anything. I care about you too.'
Anakin smiled, and Obi-Wan's heart warmed again. 'Yes, Master.'
**************************************************
Please vote if you enjoyed it and let me know how you first got into Star Wars. For me, I was on a bit of a classic movie kick and what's more classic than Star Wars?