The Guardian's Path

Chapter 12 - Revelations

Author's Note: This fanfic is now officially one chapter past the halfway point. :)

~ Amina Gila

Obi-Wan feels an odd sense of trepidation as he walks through the halls of the Temple, approaching the prison level where Custos is contained. He needs to see the Sith, needs to talk to him, to try and understand the influence that he has over Ani and Anakin both. But he is still unsettled from his conversations with Anakin, Ani, and Ahsoka. He feels as if there's something he's missing, something which, if he knew, would make everything make sense, but he doesn't know what that something could be.

Whether he likes it or not – and he really doesn't – he has to accept that Custos was right when he talked to him yesterday.

"You don't understand him, how he thinks and feel."

But Custos implied that he understood Anakin, and though Obi-Wan hates to admit it, he's beginning to wonder if it's the truth, if he does understand and see something in Anakin which Obi-Wan himself does not. Why is there such a difference between them, especially when they had such similar lives? They were both raised as Jedi, so what makes Custos so much more able to understand Anakin when Obi-Wan raised him?

He doesn't like it, and yes, he is upset, even if he shouldn't be. He is jealous that Custos was able to take Anakin's trust and affection so easily. It shouldn't bother him, but it does. It's simply another weakness, another manifestation of his deepest attachment. He needs to meditate and let it go, and he will, in due time, when he gets the chance. But for now, he needs answers.

Custos is lying on the cot when Obi-Wan gets there, though he's not sleeping, eyes open and tracing over the ceiling. He sits up when Obi-Wan stops in front of the ray shield, looking in at him. It is so unnerving to see him here, to see the same face, albeit younger and more hardened, staring back at him. For all that Anakin and Ani are getting along, Obi-Wan thinks that it would be very unsettling to have such a close connection to someone else.

"You're back," Custos states flatly, as if that wasn't already obvious. "What do you want now?"

"Answers," Obi-Wan replies simply. "Why was Anakin staying in your cabin?"

Custos raises an eyebrow, and Obi-Wan really dislikes how discerning he can be. He hates feeling so exposed, hates how his weaknesses can be used against him by this person who knows him so intimately. It's unnatural. "Are you asking because you care or because you're trying to discern what my evil intentions are?" He sounds amused, which irks Obi-Wan even more.

"Both," he grits out. No one can push his buttons like the man in front of him. In fact, if it was up to him, he would never come back here, leaving Custos to whatever fate the Council has in store for him. He can't do that though, not when Ani is being so obviously hurt by it.

... Anakin has been a wreck yesterday.

And that. It reminds him of what Custos said to him yesterday when he was here, how he accused Obi-Wan of not wanting Anakin to be around him, because he doesn't want to let his former Padawan go. Custos claimed that he's selfish, not wanting to "let Anakin find emotional support from someone else." It's not true; Anakin has always been fine in the past, so there's no way that Custos magically discovered some insecurity which never existed before.

Anakin has always been fine with Obi-Wan. They were fine until Custos appeared, causing problems for the sake of it. He's a Sith. He can't be trusted. Even now, Obi-Wan questions what his end goal is. Does he want to take Anakin away from the Order, from his family and friends because he can? Or is there something else? Or, a quiet part of his mind whispers, does he see something that you never have, and does he have Anakin's best interests in mind?