It was late when Obi-Wan approached the Senate Apartment Complex, his calm face doing well to hide the concern that he felt. On the top floors of this building the Naboo Embassy had allotted space for an apartment for their Senator. Currently it was occupied by Obi-Wan’s closest friend and his wife, Padmé Amidala, along with their newborn children. Obi-Wan sighed, even letting the force reach into him, allowing the part of him that calls itself Obi-Wan Kenobi to become no more than a ripple, an eddy in the current of the Force, he had been unable to cease his worry.
The exterior turbo lift deposited him in a small lobby. He stood outside of the apartment, hands folded in his robes for some time before pressing the holopad to speak to those inside. “Anakin, it’s me.”
Padmé opened the door shortly after, one of the children in her arms as Anakin sat with the other child on the couch inside the apartment. “Obi-Wan.” She said with a smile, waned slightly before welcoming him in and her smile broadening. Obi-Wan bowed his head to her politely. She took the child into the next room, before coming back in and taking the other. “They need to sleep anyway.” She chuckled. “And so do I.” She gave Anakin a peck on the cheek before she went into the next room, leaving the two alone.
Anakin looked at Obi-Wan, “Is this where the disapproval and berating begins?” He asked, not all too happy. Anakin’s emotions were more at peace than before during the delivery, but he was still conflicted. The chancellor had been a close friend, a father figure, one who had helped Anakin, and the recent events and discoveries left him very conflicted.
Obi-Wan couldn’t help it as the corners of his lips rose into a small smile at seeing Anakin, who had been so full of fear and confusion less than a day ago, already beginning to return to his willful ways. He shook his head slowly as he took a seat. “There will be plenty of time for that later, don’t you worry,” he said dryly, his coruscanti accent present as always. “First, how are the children? How is Padmé?”
Anakin smiled, not being able to stop himself. “They are good, she is well.” He said relieved. “We haven't really been allowed to sleep, but other than that.” He said in a happy tone, despite what will most likely be a coming storm. Anakin frowned for a moment. “I should have trusted it would be fine from the start but..”
Obi-Wan waved his hand firmly to stop Anakin, growing serious. “Palpatine manipulated you, manipulated all of us. We have worked with him for years and none of us were any more aware than he wished us to be.” He reached from his seat on the chair to place his hand on Anakin’s shoulder. “But in the end you did the right thing, you refused to allow your fear to control you, and thanks to that, the Republic still has a chance, the trillions of people who call it home have a chance.”
Anakin frowned, “They didn't find his body, I don't believe he is gone before that, he was too powerful to simply disappear into nothing.” his voice was a mixture of anger, worry and fear. “The Republic is still in danger, the war is tearing it apart.”
“It is, but Grievous is on the run now. We need only to find him and we can finally bring this war to an end. Who knows what might have happened with a sith lord as supreme chancellor when that happened, but I suspect it would have been nothing good.” He paused taking a deep breath, allowing himself a moment to feel the force once again. He allowed the Force to flow into him, through him, and out again without the slightest touch from his conscious will. There was nothing in the apartment that was not a part of him in the moment, from the chair he sat on, to Anakin himself. Because it was all part of the Force. “Do you not feel it? The cloud that has darkened the Force for more than a decade seems to have finally lightened.” He recalled his schooldays at the Jedi Temple, when the Force was pure, and clean, and perfect. It was not quite so clear as that now, likely due to the millions who still fought and died at war, but it was as though the darkness had withdrawn, coiled back upon itself.
Anakin closed his eyes. “I feel something different, if it is a cloud being lifted I cannot tell.” Anakin spoke before opening his eyes looking at his master. “So Grievous escape you again, my master?” He said, taking a small pleasure in taunting Obi.
Obi-Wan smiled ruefully. “I suppose I never was one for hunting wild animals. But yes, I he did escape, it’s becoming something of a habit between the two of us.” He sat back, content to forget why he had come for a moment and simply enjoy the banter.
“We might manage to get him if you would only allow me to help, instead of always allocating me to a rescue mission or something of the sort while you have your sparring.” Anakin said with a slight chuckle.
Obi-Wan smiled gently at that. “I seem to recall you being there on the bridge of the
Invisible Hand when he made his escape, my apprentice. Do I remember wrong?”
“I had to be.” Anakin said, looking at his master with a slight grin. “Someone had to save you from flying face first into the planet.”
“All right, all right.” The Jedi Master raised his hands in surrender. “You win.” Obi-wan sat for a moment, the good natured smile fading from his face. “If that is the case, then the Order still needs you.” He swallowed looking up at Anakin earnestly. “Have you given any thought, to what you will do?”
“No, I have been avoiding that.” He said as his smile disappeared. “Im sure the Masters have something in mind when they find out, if not outright expulsion.”
“I’m sure they will have something in mind, but I do not think they would expel you from the Order, not with how valuable you have been. But…” Obi-Wan stopped for a moment. It was a difficult thing, to balance the demands of the Jedi Order, the demands of the code, with one’s own feelings. Despite appearances, Obi-Wan knew that only too well. “Anakin, do you remember Duchess Satine?”
“The ruler of Mandalore.” He said short. “Yes, I remember her, she was an interesting woman, strong beliefs.” Anakin said as he looked at Obi-Wan. “And the more personal relationship you shared.”
Obi-Wan nodded. “She was...an idealist. And if she had asked I would have left the Jedi Order.” He rubbed his beard, thinking how he was going to say this, even as memories of Satine’s death flashed in his mind. “Padmé may not have asked you, but,” he motioned to the next room, “you have Luke and Leia to consider now.” He took a deep breath. This was somehow much more difficult to say than he had expected. “Anakin, you are my brother. If you wish, I will fight for you in the council, no matter what, only...I hope you consider this. I would not hold it against you if you wished to leave. The Sith are destroyed, your prophecy has been fulfilled.” Obi-Wan hung his head slightly, clearly beginning to become emotional from the conversation. It was, after all, a difficult thing to contemplate the lose of his apprentice and best friend.
Anakin frowned as he stood up and walked the edge of the veranda, looking out over Coruscant, his arms crossed over his chest. “I thought about it before, a few times, the way the council acted, the way they treated Ashoka.” Anakin shook his head. “Perhaps it would be the best, now that the factions in the senate want blood, the council will no doubt have a punishment to carry out, they need to.” Anakin said, a slight anger showing. “Perhaps the best is to cut the cord.”
Obi-Wan stood and walked over to edge as well, arms folded in his robes as a light breeze whipped at the edges. “Meditate on it. Let the Force guide you towards the right decision, consider the sacrifices that must be made, whichever path you ultimately decide.” A calm smile crossed his lips. “I sure you will pick the right one Anakin, you had a wonderful teacher.”
Anakin looked at him. “Obi-Wan, was the choice that easy back with Satine?” Anakin asked.
“Easy?” Obi-Wan asked, thinking on the question. He continued to stare out of the cityscape that was Coruscant before shaking his head. “No, I would not call it easy, but I knew my choice was the right one once I made it, even if nothing came of it in the end.”
Anakin looked at him before nodding and looking back out over the city.
