The Guardian's Path

Chapter 20 - Confessions

Author's Note: There are only two parts left after this! :)

~ Amina Gila

No one moves when Obi-Wan enters the living room. Custos – and Ani, by default – had already refused to go to one of the bedrooms. He said that he refuses to run and hide like that in the one place where they've found shelter. Anakin can understand his reasoning, but he wasn't happy. Still, that doesn't stop him from staying pressed against Custos' side.

The Jedi Master looks between all of them, his expression hardly even changing. "I know it's late," he begins, "But I thought I would find you here."

There's only two or three hours until sunrise now, but Anakin isn't tired. It doesn't seem like anyone is tired, for that matter. "Here to arrest us?" Anakin asks, trying to keep his tone light.

Obi-Wan, surprisingly, shakes his head. "No, I came here to talk to you."

Anakin frowns. "Why did you come here to talk to me?"

His question isn't answered. "May I speak with you?"

After glancing between the others, Anakin rises in a silent consent, gesturing for Obi-Wan to follow him. He leads Obi-Wan to the guest bedroom – the one that Ahsoka and Ani have been sharing – closing the door behind them to guarantee privacy. "Did you really need to talk to me so badly that you came here in the middle of the night?" Anakin questions. When he puts it like that, it sounds especially ludicrous.

Obi-Wan studies him silently, again not answering, and it makes Anakin feel... almost unnerved. His former master is never so quiet. He never fails to answer questions, even if the quips aren't meant to answer as much as they're meant as biting retorts. "Did Senator Amidala tell you about what she spoke to Yoda about?"

It is... unexpected, to say the least. "Yes," Anakin replies slowly, wondering where Obi-Wan is planning to go with this.

"I thought if I came here, I would catch you before you left," he explains.

Anakin stills. "I wasn't planning to leave."

Obi-Wan raises an eyebrow, clearly caught off-guard. "Why not?"

"Seriously, Master, did you really think I would leave you to fight Sidious alone?"

"The Council agrees with Senator Amidala's plan of action," Obi-Wan explains. "Yoda sent me here. Officially, I am to be locating and arresting you and Custos, but Yoda – along with Plo and me – do not agree with that. Yoda wanted me to join you."

Anakin gapes at him. "Yoda wanted you to leave with us? He wanted you to help us escape?"

"Yes, and yes," Obi-Wan confirms. Even in the darkness of the room – it's lit solely by the traffic from outside the window – Anakin can see the way his expression softens. "If I had known about Sidious earlier... I'm sorry, Anakin."

That was... unexpected. Anakin blinks at him for a few moments. "What for?"

"I never really... liked your friendship with Palpatine," Obi-Wan elaborates, "But the Council thought it would be useful to the Jedi. They were insistent that I allow your visits continue, and I thought there wasn't any harm in it. I thought you would tell me if... you didn't want to go."

Anakin lowers his head, looking down at the floor. "Master, even if I hadn't wanted to go... he wanted to spend time with me. No one else did. I wouldn't have rejected that."

Obi-Wan reaches out, laying a hand on Anakin's shoulder. "I know." His voice is quiet, pained. "I failed to protect you from him though. He wants you to be his apprentice."