Stay

Just after the battle of Naboo...

Anakin folded his arms stubbornly, glaring at the pilot who was trying to coax him out of the ship he had re-landed in the Nubian hangar. It was evident to everyone in the immediate vicinity that he was not budging.

To them, the reasoning was completely irrelevant.

"Mister Qui-gon told me to stay," he told himself fiercely. "Stay in that cockpit. That's what he said, and I am not moving."

Eventually, the good-intentioned pilots and crew gave up and went searching for the Queen and her escorts. Anakin was curious, but still stubbornly remained in his seat. Not even Pad – the Queen was going to get him to move.

It wasn't until a familiar brown-clad figure entered the hangar that he found his resolve most challenged.

"Obi-" he cut himself off abruptly, staring. Obi-wan's clear blue-green eyes were dull with grief, and his steps barely left the floor. His robe – no, two robes – hung over his arm.

"Obi-wan?" he whispered hesitantly.

Obi-wan finally glanced up, seeming to recognize him. "Anakin." It was the first time the apprentice had addressed him by name. "You can…" He drew a deep breath. "You can come down now."

Anakin slowly climbed out of the cockpit and down the ladder to where Obi-wan waited for him. All the bravado gained from nine years as a slave suddenly deserted him, leaving him to gaze fearfully at Obi-wan, feeling something bad had happened. Then his breath caught.

Obi-wan's shirt had blood on it.

His gaze shot up to meet the apprentice's, eyes begging for denial. Obi-wan looked down. When he finally spoke, it was with a heavy voice.

"He's gone, Anakin."

Anakin's eyes began brimming with tears. Then he looked at Obi-wan, who was still looking at the ground. His shoulders had begun to shake, but he was holding back the tears by some incredible force of will.

Obi-wan was barely conscious of his surroundings, a strange numbness stealing over him. I can't cry, can't cry… the boy…

Just then a small pair of arms encircled his waist, and he looked down to see Anakin standing there, his eyes similarly brimming with tears. His eyes seemed to be begging Obi-wan, pleading him to act.

Moved by some impulse he could never afterward explain, Obi-wan bent and pulled the boy into his arms.

And that was how Queen Amidala found them there, nearly an hour later.