Sequel to Protecting. Anakin and Obi Wan in the Clone Wars. Enjoy. Disclaimer, I own nothing, even the basic storyline is from the cartoon, (even though i haven't seen it yet)
Fighting
chapter 1
They marched down the bridge. They were dressed in grey. Clone Troopers. They marched, thump, thump, thump. The regular rhythm of an army well trained. The were orderly and uniform in movement. It was raining and everything seemed dark and desperate. The soldiers lifted their weapons and fired on the Jedi Temple.
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From all around the world, as Anakin stood there he heard the cry of hundreds of Jedi, shot dead. Master Mundi was fired upon, as was Master Fisto. They all died. Obi Wan, falling, falling. He fell into water, not dead, never dead, but alone.
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Anakin stood outside, he opened his eyes. The cool breeze was calming after what he had just seen. His legs were spread, his hands behind his back. The view was cool and lovely. Anakin breathed and calmed. His meditation often showed him things to come, things that were happening and things that had occurred. It was something he had to bare. But for now, he would put it behind him, after all, he was on his honeymoon with his beautiful new wife.
He felt two small hands and soft arms sneak their way around his waist from behind. Padme rested her head on his back, her soft hair brushing his bare arms. "Another vision?" she said.
"Yes," was all he replied. Padme knew that he often got them, but he never talked about them. She knew he was trying to protect her, but sometimes she could strangle him. She was not a delicate flower to be sheltered. "I know you aren't delicate, Padme," he said, not turning around.
"Are you reading my mind again?" she asked crossly to his back.
He turned round with an impish smile, "I just know you too well." He started tickling her, making her squeal. She ran towards the bedroom, Anakin followed eagerly.
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As they lay breathless on the bed, he turned to Padme, "I don't tell you because what I see, because I don't want to believe it. You must live in the now as a Senator, you cannot know what is to come, it will not change, and for you that would be hard to bare. I know you are strong, I just need you to be my strength."
Padme looked into his eyes and gave a sad smile, "I just want to help you shoulder this."
"You do, Padme," Anakin stroked her cheek, "You help me more than you know."
Padme snuggled into his arms looking away from his face. Troubled at what he saw, but couldn't tell. Anakin looked down at her head, upset at what she would have to face, and how much she would have to deal with alone.
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Anakin and Padme enjoyed the second afternoon of their honeymoon outside. They had been married exactly one day and the council had granted Anakin exactly one week with his wife before he was to go to the outer rim to fight in the clone wars. For the moment the council was getting information and spreading the armies, they didn't need Anakin around for a while till he was needed to lead.
Anakin and Padme walked by the beach. Padme ran off with a smile into the water. She started splashing amoung the waves. Anakin looked on with a smile, "Join me," Padme smiled. Anakin walked towards her, "Come on, you won't rust."
"I know," he looked at his metal arm which replaced the one Dooku had taken off him. He then slyly looked at Padme and did something few Jedi could do well.
Padme started spluttering and gave Anakin an evil glare, "Was that really called for?" she was referring to the load of water Anakin had just dumped on her.
"Well you do look good wet," Anakin said with a seductive grin.
Padme blushed at the innuendo. Soaking wet, she ran up to Anakin with a mischievous grin and gave him a huge hug, getting him wet as well. The playful mood quickly turned into something else.
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Anakin and Padme lay on the sand, "Let's not do that again," he said, "I have sand everywhere that is not going to come out."
"Deal," she said, grimacing at the sand in her mouth and itching from the sand in her hair. They shared companionable silence for a few moments, "It was a nice wedding wasn't it?" Anakin only breathed loudly in agreement, obviously going to sleep. "Gaina was really nice, how did you two meet?"
"She was a friend of Padu's. We met in the canteen. She was Master Windu's padawan." Anakin was stretched out on the beach, enjoying warm sun so different from Tatooines twin suns which burned.
"Was?" Padme asked, snuggling closer to him.
"She has just passed her trials, she's a Jedi now." Anakin started to chuckle, "You know, with Obi Wan on missions all the time, it was really just the three of us. There were others, but they were too much in awe of us."
"You certainly think highly of yourself," Padme said turning to look at him, "Awe!"
"I was always better than most of the students in my lessons, Obi Wan had trained me from birth, so it was only natural, I also had a wider experience of what people are like. I was taught by all the members of the Jedi Council in a range of things, Yoda was my master, I knew Qui gon, and already had battle experience. Of course they were awed, they had never seen anyone develop so quickly. It was the same with Padu and Gaina. Padu was fantastic at healing, everyone knew it, and Gaina could settle any debate. She has a skill of being able to see both sides of an argument and sort it to everyone's satisfaction. Then there Obi Wan, whom we were all friends with. Everyone knew of him, and he was already awed for his skill with the force, his calm and inner balance. His time away just gave him an added edge, our abilities just gave them something to reach." Anakin said this as matter of course. He knew why they reacted that way. Not that he had to like it, but he knew why. "Most of the time it was a pain in the neck. But occasionally it came in use."
"What did you do? Have them clean your dirty washing? Bow to you?" Anakin looked at her, her hair surrounded her and the sun shone from behind, making it seem as if she had a halo.
"No, the awe factor meant they were always happy to spar with me, I liked the challenge of new people to face, and when I told them where they went wrong and how to fix their faults in swordplay, they would listen to me, even the older ones I taught. I had to show them I could beat them before I taught them, but they were more than happy to listen after they had landed on their backs several times." Anakin smiled at the memory.
"You had all this power at your disposal, all these people willing to do what you said, were you never tempted to use it? Didn't you ever want to further yourself using them?" Padme asked in wonder.
"That leads to the Darkside," he said, "It would defeat the reason they looked up to me. It got worse over the years because I didn't use them like that. But they tried to be like me, I didn't ignore them, I didn't encourage them to be my slaves, but I do like to think I helped them understand the Force better. They wanted to be like me and my friends, so they trained to be up to my, and my friends, standards. Not just in swordplay, but in using the Living Force."
Padme rested her head down, the man she married was indeed extraordinary. "You teach light sabre techniques?"
"Sometimes," Anakin said, knowing where the conversation was going.
"Would you teach me?" she asked, very eager.
"Okay, but later," he said, getting up and quickly dressing. "Now, I'm hungry, we'll start tomorrow, early."
"How early?" she asked suspiciously.
"Old habits die hard," Anakin said with a grin, helping her up, "But we can go back to bed straight after," he pulled her in for a quick kiss before she pushed back and started to dress. Hand in hand they strolled back to the house.
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That night, Anakin lay in bed holding his wife close. He had just had another nightmare. It wasn't anything of any significance, just fighting with some woman. But it was still enough to wake him. Luckily he hadn't woken Padme, she still slumbered peacefully in his arms. Unaware of his thoughts. It was going to be a dark future and the force continued to whisper to him, that only he could control it. It was a lot to ask of an 18 year old boy, even if he was a Jedi.
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Obi Wan walked round the corner of the building. He heard Padme giggling as she kept swinging her wooden sword at Anakin, while Anakin tried feebly to block them as he was laughing to hard to really put in any effort. Obi Wan just watched, loathed to put an end to Anakin's happiness, he had had so few reasons to smile in recent years. The war however could not wait. Padme would need to go back to the Senate and Anakin was needed at the front. Obi Wan stepped closer and loudly cleared his throat. They stopped their laughing and looked at him. Obi Wan smiled apologetically. "The Seperatists have massed near Muunilist. We need to act soon, the Council apologise for this, but we need you in Coruscant to help plan, and then at the front."
Anakin nodded in understanding, "It couldn't last, but at least we have these few days Padme."
Padme nodded and then walked inside to pack. Anakin walked over to Obi Wan who looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, but with Master Oppo Rancisis dead the council are gathering all people with military knowledge to help organise, you've been put in charge of the fleet to go to Muunilist for the moment."
Anakin smiled, "I'm a commander?" he laughed when Obi Wan nodded, "Aren't I a bit young?"
"Not really, I mean, you have been in flight battles since you were 9," Obi Wan said with a grin, referring to the battle right there on Naboo years earlier.
"So what are you going to do?" Anakin asked as they walked in doors.
"I'm leading the ground assault on Muunilist and working in co-ordination with you."
"Together again," Anakin said.
"I can't seem to get away from you," Obi Wan joked.
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How do you like? I have to admit I am disapointed no one reviewed the last chapter I posted, to make it up review this. Please!