If Hate Leads to Suffering... | Obi Wan Kenobi

Act II. iv

Xaela didn't go back to her room.

Despite her exhaustion, she bypassed her door and went to straight to Obi-Wan's. She didn't care if the Council said they should keep their distance. Unlike Anakin's, she didn't bother knocking and just let herself in after making sure no one saw her. He was startled.

"Oh my - haven't you heard of knocking?" He said, sitting up in bed.

Xaela could tell she woke him up by his very messy hair, but she didn't care.

"I don't ever remember you knocking." She took a seat at the edge of his bed and he moved his legs to accommodate her. "I was just with Anakin, did you feel it?"

Obi-Wan nodded.

"I worry he's becoming more unstable." He yawned and rubbed his eyes.

"You should talk to him." Xaela proposed. "It does wonders for one's mental health."

"I want to, I do. But I always end up lecturing him."

Xaela smiled a bit at that, but got back to the topic at hand.

"I told him about us leaving."

"We're leaving?" He asked and Xaela flicked his arm.

"After the war, Obi." She said and he shooed her hand away.

"It's really late, you can't expect me to think straight right now." He defended himself and laid back down. "What did he say?"

"He didn't give a straight answer." Xaela lifted the covers and climbed into bed with him after Obi-Wan moved over. "But he's having more nightmares. He fears Padme will die during childbirth."

Obi-Wan turned on his side to face Xaela and lifted the covers over her shoulders, she snuggled into the pillow her head was on.

"But it's not just that." Xaela struggled to keep her eyes open. "I think he's hiding something else."

"What is it?" He began to stroke her back and she melted from his touch.

"If Anakin is the most powerful Force user," She yawned, "then wouldn't the Sith try and coax him to the dark side?"

Obi-Wan didn't say anything, and Xaela grabbed the hand that wasn't soothing her to intertwine their fingers together, pulling them to rest on the sheets right by her lips. Her eyes fell shut but she still managed to mumble out.

"And one more thing."

He hummed; it never ceased to amaze him him how much his girl could talk.

"Yes, darling?" She was nearly asleep.

"Your hair looks nice like this." She whispered, barely audible, and passed out.

He smiled at her and placed a small kiss on her forehead before getting comfortable himself.

The Jedi Master thought a bit more about Anakin, knowing Xaela was right. And after concluding that he would talk to him and Padme in the morning, he too fell asleep.

~*~

Xaela woke up and Obi-Wan wasn't there.

His side of the bed was cool, so he had been gone a while, but Xaela slept so peacefully beside him that she hadn't noticed. In fact, she over slept.

Since the High Council hadn't arrested her for treason or something, Xaela thought she would continue her thoughts from last night. While the war was a prominent feature in everyone's lives at the moment, the young Jedi Knight couldn't let go of the fear and confusion her friend was dealing with. She had to help Anakin, and she would do anything for him.

The first stop was the library. Scanning numerous datacrons for force healing, Xaela came to a dead end. No doubt the Jedi didn't keep dark side skills in their library, the only medical texts she could find had little to no information. The only slightly helpful thing was the dismissive mentioning of a Sith Lord named Plagueis. She would have to go elsewhere to find more.

A small sense of guilt took hold of her though, although Xaela was adamant that there was no truly good or bad Force - just good or bad people - her lifelong training in the Jedi Order held her back a bit. And the nagging of the High Council in the back of her head warned her that if she was caught, there would be nothing stopping them from dismissing her from the Order.

Then she remembered that she was planning to leave the Order anyway, so she shook it off and left the library in search of somewhere she could find knowledge, which led her to Senator Amidala's apartment.

"Am I to be expecting the whole Order soon?" She asked when she opened the door.

Xaela was confused but she walked in anyway, until she saw Anakin on the couch.

"Obi-Wan was here this morning." She said and took the spot beside her husband.

"Oh, right," he slipped her mind while she was researching. "Do you know where he is?"

"The Council sent him to the Utapau System." Anakin said and Xaela took a seat across from the two. "Intel says that's where Grievous is hiding."

"Of course he doesn't tell me." Xaela playfully rolled her eyes, then remembered why she was here. "Padme, does the Senate have access to ancient texts?"

The Senator raised her eyebrows a bit.

"Of course," she said, "but doesn't the Jedi library have thousands of datacrons to look through?"

"She probably read them all." Anakin joked and Xaela scrunched her nose at him. She wanted to stick her tongue out but knew they would start bickering.

"Funny, Ani." She said, knowing he grew tired of the childish nickname. "Unfortunately, the Jedi archives restrict certain things, but a third party information source should have no bias to the knowledge it keeps."

The Senator thought for a moment.

"I'm sure I could get you access," she nodded. "Although I'm a bit worried as to why you want restricted information."

Xaela waved her hand to ease Padme.

"The Jedi are an institution like any other." She said and looked at Anakin. "They only keep what benefits them."

A look of understanding crossed his features at her words, one his wife didn't notice.

"In that case, I guess I can take you now." Padme said and stood up, Xaela followed.

"Wonderful," she said, "but first, can I have a word with Anakin?"

The Senator nodded.

"Of course, just let me change and we'll be on our way." She left the room.

Xaela took the spot on the couch Padme was just sitting in and turned to Anakin.

"Jedi texts on force healing are slim and unhelpful." She said. "If I go back far enough in the Senate archives, I may be able to find information of a Darth Plagueis the wise. Have you heard of him?"

"Not sure."

"I'm doing this for you Anakin." She reminded him. "You May feel torn between the Council, but I am your ally, always will be."

The boy smiled at her.

"Thank you, Xaela." He said. "Let me know what you find."

"Are you ready to go?" Padme stepped out of her room.

Xaela and Anakin stood up out of respect. She could see Padme's baby bump and was slightly excited for her friends to become parents. She knew looking at Padme that she was doing the right thing for her. And she knew looking at Anakin, who stared at his wife with all the love he had, that she was doing the right thing for him too.

"Whenever you're ready, Senator."