As It Was ▸ Obi-Wan Kenobi

10. Ben and Cece

It had been ten years.

I hadn't seen his face in ten years. 

But here he was flashing on my holopad as a wanted enemy of the Empire: Obi-Wan Kenobi.

I almost sobbed when I saw it. Out of fear yes, but mostly of relief he was still alive. Not an hour later I got a message from Senator Organa with a request to join him on Alderaan.

I sat staring at the now silent holocom, the message gone after it played once. Something must be terribly wrong if Bail wanted me to leave my post. He knew what I was doing for the Rebellion and leaving the position unprotected was dangerous, reckless even. But doable.

-

A panic stricken flight to Alderon was not how I had been anticipating this day to go, but I made it. Safely docking in the private landing bay Bail had sent me to, I attempted to stretch my feelings out, feeling for something amiss. To my surprise I felt nothing. So much nothing it was almost alarming. I hadn't felt that sort of peace in years, nearly a decade-

And that's when I saw him.

He was standing with his back to me, the sunset beaming beyond him. The slowly fading rays of sunshine illuminated his hair making it appear red, his robes almost reminiscent of a time long before. He turned to face me at the exact moment my gaze landed on him and our eyes locked.

And then I was running across the landing pad, the last ten years disappearing because Obi-Wan Kenobi was right here. Right now.

I all but leapt into his arms, my cry of joy only muffled by the sound of his laughter. He picked me up and spun me around, warmth flooding the Force around me. I had forgotten what it was like to feel so loved.

"You're here! How are you here?" I gasped when he set me down, holding me at arm's length.

"I'm just a little bit more tricky to catch than the Empire thought," he laughed, his eyes crinkling.

"But Bail was so worried. He thought that you were gone and that Leia-" I began, anxiously reaching up to smooth his hair out of his face, my hands coming to rest on his chest.

"And he was very nearly right. But she's safe. She's here."

"She is?" I said, unable to keep my voice steady because I hadn't thought this day could get better. Frankly I had expected this day to be terrible.

"Would you like to meet her?" he grinned, humor filling his voice, "She's grown up to be so much like them."

My heart twisted at the way he said 'them,' knowing he was not speaking of the Organas. He was talking about Padmé's knack for leadership, her fierceness. He was talking about Anakin's pride, his loyalty. Even with the joy rolling from Obi-Wan's presence in the Force I could feel the twinge of sadness beneath.

Before I could answer I was interrupted by a little girl running across the platform - a little girl who could be no one but Leia.

"Ben! Ben! You forgot this!" she cried running up to us with a satchel in hand.

I stepped away from Obi-Wan, suddenly feeling self-conscious of our proximity. But there was no reason to be. The Jedi Order was no more and to Leia, I was just a stranger.

"Oh thank you," he smiled, accepting the package, "I would be desolate without my dinner on my way home."

Leia giggled, "I think you'd probably be just fine. But I wanted to make sure you got some dinner since you won't stay and eat with us.

Obi-Wan looked down at her sadly, his eyes flickering to me, "I can't Leia. It's dangerous for me to stay here too long."

"I understand," she said, nodding matter-a-factly. Then she turned her gaze on me, "And who are you? Are you a Jedi too?"