"Father," said Anakin, "Are you sure we aren't lost?"
Obi-Wan grumbled as he peered through the fog-infected woods. He adjusted the steering wheel slightly and replied, "I know where we are." He didn't.
Anakin looked out the window and watched the deep green blur. "It's been decades since I saw a road sign."
"Don't be so dramatic," Obi-Wan admonished.
Anakin pulled his hood over his head and crossed his arms. He shifted his body away from Obi-Wan, eyes boring into the passing trees.
"Oh, don't be like that," said Obi-Wan. He tugged the hood back and touched Anakin's cheek. "This move is going to be good for us."
Anakin looked back at him. "Promise?"
Obi-Wan smiled. "I promise."
The scenery drew Anakin's attention again. Tree after tree after tree.
"I can't wait for you to see the house," Obi-Wan said.
Well, at least there's no sand.
He continued excitedly, "And the location is splendid! There's a beach nearby—"
"Stop!" Anakin shouted.
The car screeched to a halt as a deer emerged from the fog, just inches from the hood. Obi-Wan and Anakin were flung back against their seats and watched as the deer scampered off. A little laugh came from Obi-Wan as Anakin stared wide-eyed. "I hope you'll be a better driver than I," remarked Obi-Wan.
"Look," Anakin pointed to the sign on the side of the road. "Coruscant, next right!"
Obi-Wan breathed a sigh of relief and hit the gas.
"What do you think?" Obi-Wan asked cheerily. The house stood like something ancient, threatening despite its splintered wooden exterior. The motel was slightly sweeter, but plainer, and on flat ground instead of elevated like a castle, as the house was. A decaying, rain-washed sign read "General's Motel" for travelers to see as they approached the town. Obi-Wan sat on the hood of the car, beaming, his clothes moving gently in the wind.
"I think we can make it home," Anakin replied, thinking of how even their dust bowl in Tatooine grew comforting.
Obi-Wan hopped off the car and took Anakin's hand. They took the stairs two at a time, until they reached the porch of their new home.
Once inside, they paused a moment. The lights hadn't been switched on for who knows how long, and the darkness made the furniture coverings foggy white ghosts.
"I suppose the foreclosure of the motel didn't lend itself to a caretaker," said Obi-Wan.
"Come on," Anakin said, "No need to give up hope yet." He dropped Obi-Wan's hand in favor of opening the heavy curtains and unsheathing the sofa, coffee tables, and piano. Tiny dust particles danced around as light invaded the family room. Anakin brushed his hands together as if he had just finished some hard work, and looked for approval from Obi-Wan.
He smiled at Anakin and asked, "Would you like to see your room?"
"Yeah."
At the top of the stairs, Anakin asked, "This one?" He gestured to the door closest to them.
"That's the bathroom," said Obi-Wan. He held Anakin's shoulders and guided him down the hallway to two neighboring doors. "This is your room, right next to mine."
Anakin observed his room first, finding it bare apart from an empty bookshelf and a bed. His father's was similar, except for a standing mirror and wardrobe.
Obi-Wan offered, "We can go to the store later. You need school supplies, too."
Anakin flopped back onto Obi-Wan's bed with a massively drawn-out groan.
"Anakin," Obi-Wan sighed. He sat next to Anakin and smoothed the hair out of his face with soft strokes, revealing brows that creased the young face. "What can I do to help?"
"I dunno. Nothing, I guess."
Obi-Wan's patience didn't waver. He knew if he waited Anakin would talk, so he moved his attention to rubbing the worry out of Anakin's forehead.
"I'm just tired of being the outcast. We're always running from—" he halted. The past, Anakin thought, afraid to dredge up old pains.
I'm sorry, thought Obi-Wan. "How dare anyone not like my sweet boy?" He cupped Anakin's face. "You'll make friends, I know it."
"Father," Anakin cried, his throat suddenly tight. He rose up and hugged Obi-Wan roughly, tendons tense in the fingers that gripped his back.
Obi-Wan held him, fingers running through his hair, then gliding over his braid. Everything's going to be alright. "Let's go get our bags now, shall we?"
Anakin swept the porch as the sound of clanking metal approached. He'd been focused on how to get ready for the next day when the nuisance started vocalizing.
"What do you think you're doing?" the… thing spat out.
Anakin had a resume of snarky responses ready at all times, but was shocked when he took his eyes off the dusty floor and saw the black and gold ones before him. He shook off his fear hastily.
"Say, are you a droid, or a person? Androgynous, maybe?"
It let out a terrifying growl that morphed into a hacking cough. Anakin took a few steps back. From the kitchen, Obi-Wan sensed something was off and appeared beside him swiftly.
"Who are you?" Obi-Wan demanded, stepping in front of Anakin when he saw the monster, "And why are you here?"
"I see you didn't do your—" it garbled through another cough, "…research. I am General Grievous, and you're ruining my property with your Jedi filth!"
Obi-Wan flinched at the title Jedi. No one here was supposed to know. Obi-Wan tried to stand tall as he watched Grievous pacing, stalking with every clank. With careful thought, he decided to say, "No need to be uncivilized about the foreclosure. I'm sorry for your loss, but there is nothing you can do at this point."
Anakin yanked at Obi-Wan's sleeve.
"Nothing I can do?" Two arms that had been clasped behind Grievous' back came forward to mirror the other appendages' threats. "You will learn otherwise, scum."
Obi-Wan lowered his voice. "I will call the police," he reached into his robes, "Or I can deal with you myself."
General Grievous burst into laughter, mechanical voice changing registers erratically. He sauntered backwards, then trudged down the long flight of stairs and away.
Taking in deep breaths, Obi-Wan felt like he still couldn't breathe. Anakin all but shoved him into the house.
"He's gone, relax," Anakin rushed to say, not at all at ease himself.
His father's chest rose and fell with each frantic intake of air. "How did he know?"
Anakin seized the first answer to come to mind. "Just a drunk, that's all. He probably heard about Jedi in a bar and uses it as an insult."
Obi-Wan nodded solemnly before remembering the food on the stove. "Blast!"
Later, they returned from Pilot Outpost with pillows, pencils, and fresh clothes that hadn't been packed away for several days. Tomorrow, Anakin would be off to Coruscant High and Obi-Wan would work on getting the motel running. For now, they would settle under the covers in harsh, lonely rooms that couldn't be any closer, but somehow should be.