Betrayal (Star Wars Fanfiction)

Bonding

"Obi-Wan!"

Surprised, the Jedi Master turned around and saw Anakin running at him full speed, dodging a few confused Padawans and younglings on their way to the training hall, a rather panicked look in his widened blue eyes.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan received him calmly, "what's the matter?" Perhaps it wasn't the best moment to think about it, but it was nice to see Anakin up and about again after he'd pretty much locked himself into his quarters after the whole Sith business.

"Ikindalostmypadawan," Anakin said, too fast for Obi-Wan to understand a single word.

The Master blinked. "Pardon me?"

Anakin sighed in response and lifted a hand to scratch his neck: "I have no idea where Ahsoka is. And I have the feeling she and Talon might have gone to the men."

Oh. Oh. Well. Obi-Wan wasn't surprised that he wasn't surprised, honestly, he'd thought their apprentices would've taken action much sooner than that. Perhaps he'd underestimated the effect the war had had on both of them as well. Kriff, he could feel the exhaustion lingering in his bones and the tiredness was practically clinging to Anakin's force presence, not quite enough to effectively dull the bright light his former padawan was in the Force itself, but just enough to serve as a reminder that even the Hero with No Fear was completely and utterly done with everything. The war had broken the Jedi Order to pieces in more ways than one.

And now Ahsoka and Talon had apparently made it their own mission to get involved in politics. Again. Obi-Wan barely surpressed the sigh coming out of his mouth and simply glanced at Anakin in mild amusement. "Let's hope they don't end up accidentally leading a march on the Senate then."

Anakin snorted. "Why hope they don't? I'd join them."

And Obi-Wan couldn't help but think he would too. To give a speech, of course. Maybe ask the dear senators to lay off their backs for a while, to let the Jedi and the men rest. He was fairly certain Anakin and Ahsoka would just rush in, state their demands and use some un-Jedi-like means to get what they wanted, but he had a reputation to uphold.

"I know you would," he said instead, "but I'm afraid we'll have to deal with this later. The Council has called for us, a new meeting is just about to start."

Anakin raised an eyebrow. "So...why are you still here?"

"Because I was waiting for you, obviously."

"Waiting for me? Why?"

"Oh my," Obi-Wan smiled, "has your memory gotten that bad? Have you forgotten that you're a Council member now, Anakin?"

Judging by the look on the Knight's faces, he had indeed. Anakin gulped as he glanced at the lift leading to the Chambers, staring at it as if it might decide to attack him. His Force presence turned from an exhausted aura to an unsure, grayish white one.

"Now don't look as though you've bitten into a lemon, Anakin," Obi-Wan gently chided with a reassuring smile on his face that looked just a little crumpled at the edges as if he wasn't used to really smiling anymore, "surely it isn't that bad, especially now, that the influence of the dark side has vanished?"

"That's not it," Anakin replied quietly, but said nothing more as fell into step beside his old master, carefully avoiding eye contact as he reached the lift.

"Master Kenobi, Knight Skywalker", Mace greeted them when they arrived in the Council Chambers. "Take your seats, the session is about to begin."

Obi-Wan bowed and swiftly walked over to his chair, but Anakin stayed right in the middle of the room and looked even more uncomfortable than before. His eyes were fixed on the ground and his posture not at all like the usually over-confident knight he used to be.