Disclaimer: Star Wars is the property of George Lucas. This story is for entertainment purposes only. No infringement of rights is intended. This is the product of not getting enough sleep and watching too many movies.
Author's Note: The idea for this came from two places; first, from Estora's Broken. There's a great part where Obi-Wan splutters when Anakin asks for a hug, and it seems so in character for these two at that time frame, I could picture it in my head, and for some reason I immediately started wondering what Obi-Wan would have to say to make Anakin splutter. And splutter is just such a fantastic word, so fantastic I had to use it twice. The second thing is something that's been in the back of my head since I saw it, nagging at me, just begging to be written about, but I don't want to give it away, so I'll explain at the end :)
This is meant to be a bit of fun speculation, and has absolutely nothing to do with Broken, or my story Fallen, or anything, for that matter. All feedback welcome.
It doesn't always make sense, and most of if never happened, but that's what kind of story this is.
The tension in the room was palpable. Anakin's anger and frustration with having to wait so long dissipated as he scanned the faces of the members of the Jedi Council before him. Something was wrong, but they were unreadable.
Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan!
Obi-Wan wasn't there. Where was he? Had something happened to him? No, if something had –
"Anakin Skywalker." Mace Windu's deep, rolling voice interrupted his thoughts. Anakin moved to the center of the room and turned to face him.
"You are granted a seat on this Council, but we do not grant you the rank of Master – yet."
"What?" Came his dangerously quiet, shocked reply. This was not what he had expected. How dare they? How – wait... 'yet?'
"Take a seat, young Skywalker." Mace sternly gestured to an empty seat across the room.
Anakin searched their faces, one by one. Still unreadable. Still no Obi-Wan. Humbled and unsure, he bowed respectfully and did as he was told.
The rest of the session passed in a blur. Then it was over. He was chagrined he had missed most of his first Council meeting, but where was Obi-Wan? He stood and, as inconspicuously as he could manage, he hurried form the Council Chamber and headed straight for Obi-Wan's quarters.
"What?" Anakin spluttered. "Y-you what?" Waves of shock rolled over him, debilitating, each one bigger than the last.
"I"m leaving The Order." Obi-Wan patiently repeated himself. He was calm, serene, happy even.
"I – but... Why?" He implored.
"I'm in love."
"L... lo..." Anakin couldn't even get the word out. He fell heavily onto Obi-Wan's couch, his head dropping into his hands. How could this be happening?
"Love?" He finally managed to say. "How?"
"Anakin, did you think I've been sitting in my room meditating every single night for the past 13 years?"
"Well... yes!"
"I do have a life. And I fear my struggle has always been much the same as yours – attachment."
"But how can you leave now? We're in the middle of a war!"
"I'm not leaving behind everything I believe in." Obi-Wan crossed his arms, still looking every bit the General. "I'll still fight for democracy, for what's right, in anyway I can. After the honeymoon, of course."
Anakin's head shot up and he felt like his eyes were going to pop out."Honeymoon?"
"Yes, Anakin," Obi-Wan sighed, the way he did every time he was trying to teach Anakin some lesson he just didn't seem to understand. "It's what two people in love normally do after they get married."
Married.
Honeymoon.
Love.
It was all too much. This couldn't be happening. After everything he'd been taught, everything he'd been through, everything he'd sacrificed. Who was this evil seductress that had stolen Obi-Wan's heart and warped his mind?
"Who?" Anakin demanded, standing up. "Who did this to you?"
"No one did this to me, Anakin," he said a bit more seriously, "I'm in love. I assure you, this is no trick." Obi-Wan always could figure out what he was thinking.
"But who?" he asked, quieter this time, disbelief setting in again, replacing angered suspicion.
"An amazing, wonderful, beautiful woman. Someone I've known a long time."
"But you've never, never –" Anakin spluttered, waving his arms around wildly in the air, "– before!"
"No one's ever asked before." Obi-Wan explained simply.
"Asked? So, she asked you to leave The Order?" His lovely, perfect Padmé would never have asked him to leave The Order. Never. Maybe she should have...
"She told me she loves me. She loves me." Obi-Wan said softly. "And that is worth everything."
Anakin shook his head, dropping to the couch again, and scrubbed his hands over his face. This had to be a joke, or a dream, something. But he looked up and Obi-Wan was still patiently standing there, his arms crossed loosely across his chest, very much real, still looking calm and, he hated to admit it, happier than he'd ever sensed him.
For three years he had lived in tortured secrecy, hiding his burning love for Padmé from the Galaxy; and Obi-Wan was just going to toss off his cloak and waltz out of the Jedi Temple? Leave everything behind? Leave him behind? How could he?
"What about me?" Anakin asked quietly, a hint of desperation creeping into his voice.
"You are a Knight now, Anakin. And a far greater Jedi than I could ever hope to be." Obi-Wan smiled warmly, fatherly. "I am very proud of you. And I promise I won't be far. You can call on me anytime. Except, of course, during – "
"Yeah, yeah," Anakin interrupted, shooting an annoyed look at his former Master, "the honeymoon, I know." He seemed disturbingly preoccupied with this honeymoon thing.
He and Padmé hadn't taken a honeymoon...
Obi-Wan clapped him on the shoulder affectionately. "You must follow your own path, Anakin."
Anakin clenched and unclenched his mechanical hand. 'I"ll follow my own path. I'll follow it straight back into Padmé's arms.'
"I have to go, Anakin." Obi-Wan said jovially. "You know you're way out. Farewell, old friend, and may the Force be with you."
Anakin slumped back into the cushions of the couch after Obi-Wan left. He almost laughed out loud in disbelief. That crazy old gundark, what was he thinking? Completely besotted. In love. Getting married. Going on a...
"Uhhhh..." Anakin groaned.
This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening.
Where did this leave him? Should he – leave? For Padmé? Being a Jedi was all he had ever wanted. Well, that and Padmé. It was what he had dreamed about. Well, that and Padmé. And his mother.
And he was more powerful than anyone on the Jedi Council.
No. He couldn't leave now, not when he was so close... And he would never, never stop loving Padmé. He was a lover and a fighter. He wanted both. He would win this war, single-handedly if he had to, and then he was going to take Padmé on a honeymoon. They'd earned it.
AN: You might've guessed, the second thing is Obi-Wan saying, in The Clone Wars cartoon, that he would've left The Order had she 'only said the word.' Really? Really Obi-Wan? That's quite a serious declaration... Obviously, I've over simplified and dramatized it here, and I'm sure it's been debated but I haven't had the chance to join in yet, so this is my tongue in cheek interpretation. I actually don't think there is any chance this would ever happen, so I guess writing it is my way of saying 'see how crazy this sounds?' The 'she' in this story isn't meant to be anyone specific, just the first 'she' to say the word. I hope it was, at least, fun to read. Let me know what you think