Across the Stars: A Star Wars Story

Episode III

Do I look okay? Is the house clean enough? Does it smell bad...do I smell bad?

A million questions race through my head. I can't pinpoint why I'm so nervous to see Obi Wan again.

It's not like we didn't live together for ten years. I probably just need to calm down...

This morning I woke up earlier than usual to make sure the house was in order. It's not like I really need to impress him, but he is my guest. Prior to all of this I never would have even bothered cleaning the house before Obi Wan came to visit. He would've made some sort of witty comment about how 'this place looks like a pack of fathiers had just run through', just like he used to about my room when I was a padawan.

I guess it goes to show how much this whole situation has changed me. Over the past few days since my visit to Padmé's parents with the twins, I've started to feel somewhat better. Jobal was right, the pain never really goes away. I've come to accept that. Even though this whole situation still hurts terribly, I think I'm finally starting to make some sort of peace with it.

Obi Wan never really felt like a mentor to me, more of a brother or close friend. Well, really, a best friend. While we had and still have our differences, there's nothing I wouldn't do for him. He was the first and only person I trusted to tell about my relationship with Padmé. Part of me had expected him to be angry with me for breaking the code, but he surprisingly wasn't. I remember vividly him telling me that my happiness meant more to him than anything the Jedi code had to say.

There's a knock at the door.

It must be him!

I head over quickly, stopping by a mirror to make sure I look presentable.

Calm down, Anakin. Just calm down.

I approach the tall wooden door. My heart is pounding. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure if I'm anxious or excited.

Here goes nothing...

I open the door, and for the first time in nearly a month see my old friend, Obi Wan Kenobi.

Immediately, we greet with a hug. It feels like the most amazing and natural thing in the whole galaxy...

"It's so good to see you again, Obi Wan!" I say with a huge, stupid smile on my face.

I must sound like an idiot right now.

"It's wonderful to finally see you again too, Anakin!" He responds as we pull away from each other.

I don't know why, but seeing him again makes my stomach leap. "Make yourself at home." I say, ushering him into the house and closing the door behind him.

As soon as Obi Wan sits his bags down, one of the babies starts crying. Their cries are immediately echoed by the other.

Just my luck.

I rush over to the twins, both in their cribs that I had moved down to the living room earlier this morning while I was cleaning the house.

"Let me help you with that." Obi Wan says, walking towards the cribs. I pick up Leia, and he picks up Luke.

"Thank you... I'm sorry this is your first real encounter with them." I apologize.

"Don't worry about it, Anakin." He chuckles and looks down at Luke, "I know you can't control these little angels."

While Leia is still calming down, I realize Luke has stopped crying and is looking up at Obi Wan with the most precious wide eyes.