The Guardian's Path

Chapter 15 - Falling

Author's Note: Sorry. Not sorry! Everyone has a breaking point. :')

~ Amina Gila

By the next morning, Anakin is simultaneously feeling irritable, depressed, and downright miserable. The Nubian queen had reacted positively to Padme's request and sent a demand for the Jedi Council sometime during the early hours of the morning. Padme sent it on, of course, promising to update Anakin as soon as she heard back. Somehow, Anakin doesn't think the reaction will be very positive. It certainly wasn't when Padme reached out to them yesterday.

After Padme had spoken to the queen and gotten her reassurances, the three – Ani had fallen asleep by that point, resting against Anakin – had spent nearly two hours painstakingly making plans for what they would do in the event that Anakin needed to go through with their last resort. Perhaps Anakin might have pushed it off a few days, or even longer, if not for last night.

Twice, Ani had woken up screaming from nightmares. The second time, he had been pretty much catatonic after he'd calmed down. He hadn't fallen asleep again, and they had all remained awake in Padme's bed for the rest of the night, though Ahsoka had finally dozed off on Anakin's shoulder after a while.

Even now, though they've moved to the couch, Ani is unresponsive, saying nothing and reacting to nothing, only holding the lightsaber in his hands tightly. It seems to be the only thing keeping him with them, and Anakin is terrified for him. He doesn't know how to help, because whatever is troubling the child is something he endured while in the Sith's hands. Anakin doesn't know what he went through, what traumas were added to those they have borne since childhood. Custos does, and that's why Anakin is going to free him as soon as he can.

The expected message comes shortly after noon. Padme forwards it on from the Council. It's short, shorter than it has any right to be, and it makes Anakin furious. His rage burns, simmering under his skin and making him want to lash out and destroy. Maybe that's a good thing if he's going to fake his Fall. He prerecords the message as Padme had asked, double checking with Artoo and Ahsoka that they're ready for the mission. They are, of course.

"The Council has decided to decline the Nubian Queen's request. This is an internal matter, and something which is being dealt with. The situation is still under investigation."

How dare they? How dare they act as if they're not playing with Ani's life?! At this point, Anakin is exceedingly concerned about the boy's psyche. He doesn't know what's going through Ani's head, but he can feel his pain. It's bleeding into the Force so strongly that even Padme seemed to be able to sense it, and she isn't even a trained Force-sensitive like he and Ahsoka. How long, he wonders? How long will it be before that pain snaps and changes to rage before the child in front of him is twisted irrevocably by the Dark Side?

Anakin doesn't know. He doesn't have answers, and he won't wait around and find out. Though he's loath to leave Ahsoka to care for Ani on her own, he leaves anyways, telling her to contact Rex and the clones if it proves to be necessary. He's headed for the Temple, hopefully to find Obi-Wan and attempt to convince him to at least allow Ani to visit his father if he won't let Custos go free.

If he's being honest with himself, Anakin is afraid to embrace the Dark Side intentionally and willfully, so as to give the appearance of Falling. He doesn't know if he'll be able to come back from it; the Jedi teach that someone can't, but Anakin is alright with sacrificing himself if it helps Ani. He won't let a child suffer for naught, not if he can help it, and he has long become accustomed to putting the needs of others first. This will change him he knows, probably permanently, but Custos seems to be managing it fine. Maybe he can help guide Anakin.

Obi-Wan is meditating in the Room of One Thousand Fountains when Anakin finds him, and he's inexplicably nervous, swallowing hard and inhaling slowly to calm his pounding heart. He hides his nervousness and fear behind his shields, reinforcing them before approaching his former master. Anakin would like nothing more than to join him now, teasing and making light-hearted conversation as if there's nothing wrong. He hates the way that their relationship has suddenly grown strained over the past few days, but there's nothing he can do about it. He doesn't know how to fix it.