I have only the vaguest idea of where I'm going with this story. It's expanding from an Obitine story to also include Anidala, because I feel like Obi-Wan leaving the Jedi Order would affect a LOT of the Star Wars universe.

This chapter went where it wanted to go but I'm happy with it. There's a bit of broTP Obikin... which I will henceforth call BrObikin (I'm such a douche... haha). Anyways! Enjoy, review and whatnot!


He knew that he needed to tell Anakin, before he told anyone else. Before he told anyone in the Council, before he officially resigned from his position as a Jedi Master, Obi-Wan knew he needed to let his former Padawan know of his decision to leave the Order. He woke at dawn and tiptoed out of the bedroom as to make sure he didn't wake the woman he'd made love to most of the night. His brows furrowed when his realize attempt to reach Anakin via holoprojector was a pointless endeavor.

It wasn't really all that much of a hindrance, as long as Anakin was where he expected him to be. Honestly, it would have been better to have that conversation face-to-face anyway; so, Obi-Wan peaked his head back into the bedroom, rousing Satine long enough to inform her of what he was doing and where he was going, and then he left her apartment.

Though Coruscant was certainly a large city -it did take up an entire planet, after all- Obi-Wan was confident he knew where Anakin would be. It also helped that it was far too early for Anakin to be anywhere but in bed; it just so happened that it was likely that Anakin was in Padmé's bed and not his own tiny bed at the Temple. As Obi-Wan pondered during his speeder ride to the Senator's apartment, wondering just how much time Anakin had spent on Coruscant that wasn't spent with Padmé.

Obi-Wan felt a nervous pit forming in his stomach as he neared the apartment. He wasn't completely sure how Anakin was going to react to this news. Would he be angry? Upset? Sad? Would he feel betrayed? Would it be possible that he'd be happy for the new couple? Considering the not-so-secret relationship Anakin had with Padmé, it was entirely possible, Obi-Wan hoped, that Anakin would understand. Then again, Anakin was still in the Order… so maybe he wouldn't understand. Maybe, for that very reason, he'd be exceptionally angry.

There was no point in dwelling on such things. He'd find out soon enough how Anakin would react. He chuckled lightly, finding it funny that he really didn't care how the Jedi Council would react. Thoughts of how almost the entire Jedi Order would react didn't even phase him, but Anakin's potential response worried him. He'd spent years preaching to the boy about attachments, how bad they were, how they made a Jedi lose focus, and yeah, he was probably right. If he weren't, he'd still be in the Order at nightfall, likely already headed out to another mission. Maybe he was the one who needed to hear the attachment spiel far more often than Anakin did.

His heart pounded as he landed the vehicle at the building housing Padmé's apartment. He attempted to let go of the anxiety, but more returned just as quickly as he released it. He decided his efforts were in vain, and he walked to the apartment door, mentally preparing himself for any potential outcome of the upcoming discussion.

A golden protocol droid, See-Threepio, let him in. It announced to it's master that she had a visitor and whom the visitor was, before offering the guest caf or tea. Obi-Wan graciously accepted the offer for tea before noticing the sheer amount of panic practically radiating from the bedroom. It confirmed his suspicions, that Anakin was indeed in there and was likely considering drastic measures like jumping out the window in order to avoid being caught. Obi-Wan couldn't help but chuckle at the couple's nervousness, more at the fact that they really thought no one had caught on to their relationship than anything else.

He walked to the bedroom door, hearing frantic shuffling on the other side before announcing, loud enough to make sure the pair on the other side of the door heard, "I know that Anakin is in there." All noises from the other side stopped, the panic somehow intensifying. "I've actually come here to talk to him."

"KRIFF!" Anakin exclaimed, knowing there was no point in attempted to conceal himself from his former master. Visions of expulsion from the Order danced in his mind and he felt sick to his stomach. He was certain that at best Obi-Wan was there to scold him, to insist that the younger man end his relationship. He was more inclined to believe that Obi-Wan was actually there to suggest that he tell the Council of his relationship before the Jedi Master did. Either way, it wasn't going to be good. Nothing could have prepared him for what Obi-Wan actually had to say.

Padmé opened the door, looking terrified. She, too, knew that this wasn't going to be good. She silently prayed that Obi-Wan wouldn't reveal their relationship to the Jedi or to the Senate. Though it wasn't frowned upon for Senators to take lovers, significant others, or even have families, she was certain the fact that she'd taken a Jedi as a husband would get her kicked out of office, or at least tarnish the good reputation she'd worked so hard to maintain.

Obi-Wan peered into the room, seeing an obviously aggravated, fully dressed Anakin glaring out the window. The Jedi Master beckoned to the couches, saying that the pair would want to sit down because their conversation would likely be a long one. The couple both noticed that Obi-Wan was actually quite antsy himself, which was confusing to both of them. What reason did he have to be nervous? They were the ones who'd been found out.

The trio sat on the couches, Padmé and Anakin sitting across from Obi-Wan but as far from each other as possible without falling off, as if somehow the distance would prevent the older man from catching on, as if Anakin being in Padmé's bedroom as the sun was rising weren't incriminating enough evidence. Threepio brought the trio cafs, before being dismissed until the afternoon by Padmé. She knew they were going to need to be alone. It was obviously going to be an intense conversation to be had.

"How long have you two been together?" Small talk seemed the easiest way for Obi-Wan to begin the conversation, though his topic of choice really had little -is anything- to do with the matter at hand. The couple visibly tensed, assuming the calmness was just masking a storm and at any moment he'd begin to tear into their relationship and all the reasons they shouldn't be in one. They remained silent, prompting Obi-Wan to speak again, "Sometime during the stay at the Lake Country of Naboo, I presume?"

Padmé nodded, sipping at the caf, using her mouth being full of burning liquid as an excuse not to verbally speak. Anakin's eyes were dark, his arms folded around his chest, waiting for the verbal attacks that he was certain were about to pour out of the other man's mouth.

Except, no much attacks came. "You two are in love?" Obi-Wan didn't really need to ask. It was obvious. All you had to do was manage to catch the couple stealing glances at each other to know, not to mention how Anakin's love for her permeated through his Force shields whenever he saw her face.

Both Anakin and Padmé's faces shown curiosity, not expected that sort of question to be what followed. Perhaps he just wanted the full story, so he knew how to disassemble every aspect of their relationship.

"Very much so, Master Kenobi." Padmé finally spoke, her years of being in the political sphere coming in handy. Her voice didn't quaver, didn't show just how apprehensive she was.

Obi-Wan smiled, furthering the couples' confusion and they wondered what sort of weird game he was playing. Did he want them to be the ones to break down and admit what they were doing was wrong? If so, he would be there for a long time; nothing of that sort was going to happen. The words spoken by Obi-Wan Kenobi were ones that they'd never anticipated hearing… "As am I."

Padmé almost dropped her cup of caf that was in her hands, wondering if Obi-Wan had forgotten what he'd previously said and didn't realize he'd said that he was in love with someone. Anakin's face showed bewilderment for a moment, before his face turned to that of surprise, then smugness. He'd quickly figured out who Obi-Wan was talking about.

"Satine." It wasn't a question; Anakin already knew the answer. "Why are you telling us this?"

Of course Anakin would cut right to the chase. The boy had always been impatient, so why would that be any different right now? Obi-Wan wasn't ready for the impact that this declaration would surely create, but there was no way Anakin would let him dance around it.

"I've come to a very important decision." Obi-Wan let out a deep breath, apprehension potent in his Force signature, saturating the air with it. "I'm going to leave the Order."

This time, Padmé did drop her cup and it shattered on the floor. She gasped, a hand covering her mouth, her eyes wide in shock. Obi-Wan was going to leave the Jedi Order? Because he was in love?! She looked over at Anakin, his face stoic, hiding the turbulence inside. He didn't really know what to think; really, there was so much that was running through his mind he couldn't keep track. Obi-Wan was leaving? Was this a joke? It couldn't be, Obi-Wan would never joke about such a thing! Were he and Satine married? Were they expecting a baby or something?

Would he be losing yet another person he cared about?

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan couldn't sense what Anakin was thinking, but the long period of silence was concerning him. He was expected to hear the younger man's reaction the second he'd revealed his plan. "I wanted to make sure you found out from me. I haven't even told the Council yet. He was met with further silence, Anakin's expression not changing in the least bit, not allowing Obi-Wan to decipher his emotions. Was he angry, or was he merely shocked as Padmé was? "I thought if anyone could understand, it would have been you two."

Padmé looked from Obi-Wan to Anakin. She fully understood. It must have been a million times that she'd almost asked Anakin to leave the Order for her. If she was honest with herself, she knew that if she spent any less time on Coruscant, if she didn't live so near the Jedi Temple, she'd ask him to leave in a heartbeat. She remembered all the time they'd spent an exceptionally long time together, how it made her sometimes not care if they got caught, how even sometimes she wanted to get caught so he'd have to spend her days with her and not out on missions. She knew it was selfish, but it was how she felt, so of course she emphasized with Obi-Wan and Satine.

Padmé returned her gaze to the Jedi Master. "I understand and support your decision, Obi-Wan." She knew she didn't need to say anymore. The small sentiment was enough for him to understand that she fully gave them her blessing.

"How?!" Anakin snapped, surprisingly not at Obi-Wan but at his wife. This wasn't what they expected to cause Anakin to actually react. His face contorted in frustration, far more visibly angry than he'd been seen outside of battle. "You understand and support his decision to leave the Jedi Order? Are you kriffing kidding me Padmé?"

Obi-Wan sat back, trying to disappear into the plush couch. He certainly wasn't expecting this reaction, and he was almost afraid to interfere. He felt it wasn't his place, and if it would have been easier to sneak away without them noticing he might have. He sensed this conversation was a long time coming, but was prompted, not caused in and of itself, by Obi-Wan's confession.

"What do you mean, Anakin?" Padmé wasn't sure what Anakin was getting at, causing further annoyance in the Jedi Knight.

He couldn't believe he had to spell it out for her. "I've offered to leave the Order for you, so many kriffing times I can't even keep track of how many kriffing times!" Anakin rose from his seat, arms flailing as he continued his ramble. "You've told me not to! You've told me I couldn't! I won't let you give up your future for me…" he mocked, venom boiled through his voice as he imitated his wife, a phase she'd said to him so many times throughout their relationship.

"What was I supposed to do, Anakin?" Padmé yelled back, her cheeks reddening as she did so and Obi-Wan further attempted to hide in the couch. "It's what you'd always wanted! When you were a little boy on Tattoine, your eyes lit up when Qui-Gon said that being a Knight could be your future! I couldn't take that away from you!"

Anakin scoffed as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Did you ever think that maybe my eyes lit up because it was a way out of slavery and off that Force-forsaken planet?" Anakin bellowed, his face reddening and brow furrowing. "I was only nine Padmé! I was a child! I didn't really understand what the Jedi Order was!"

He stomped about in a little pace around the couch as he continued to ramble. "All I'd heard was the Jedi were these grand protectors of the galaxy. I didn't know about these kriffing rules, these ridiculous restrictions!" He ran his hands agitatedly through his hair. "I didn't know I wasn't going to be told not to love anyone, or not to even really kriffin' care about a single kriffin' person!" He stamped towards the door, placing his hand on the button to open said door. "Do you really think I'd offer to leave the Order if I had really wanted to stay?" he questioned bitterly as the door slid open.

"Anakin, where are you going?" Padmé called after him in a sheer panic, not sure what to do. She'd never seen him quite like this, at least not towards her.

Anakin took a step out the door, placing his hand on the button to close the door behind him. "Out," and with that he closed the door.

Obi-Wan rose from the couch, frantic. "I'm so sorry, Padmé! I didn't expect him so react like that!" He had certainly entertained the notion that Anakin might react that way towards him, but certainly not Padmé.

Tears were welling in the Senator's eyes. "It's okay. Well, it's not okay, but you didn't cause this." She let out a disheartened sigh, then cradled her head in her hands. She was scared and in a way she felt guilty. She should have questioned him long ago about why he kept bringing up leaving the Order, instead of just assuming it was purely for her. She should have asked him what he really wanted, in life, in their marriage, in his career… but she hadn't. "This has obviously been bothering him for a while. I just wish he'd brought it up in a different way."

"I'm going after him." Obi-Wan stepped towards the door, knowing he needed to act quickly. Satine would certainly wait for him to return to her before leaving for Mandalore, but she couldn't wait too long. She still had a lot to deal with on her planet and he couldn't keep her waiting long, but he couldn't leave Coruscant with Anakin like this either. "I'll bring him back here. You have my word."

"Thank you, Obi-Wan." Padmé looked up at the departing Jedi. "I really am happy for you. You deserve this." She gave him a small, sincere smile, for just a moment until thoughts of her own troubles returned to her mind. "May the Force be with you."

Obi-Wan softly smiled at Padmé, wishing her the same sentiment as he closed the door behind him.


Once again, Obi-Wan left to find Anakin and once again, he was fairly easy to find. Even with all the places to go in the city, there were really only four places Anakin went: The Jedi Temple, Padmé's apartment, and Senate building, and Dex's Diner. The Force, or perhaps just his instinct, told him that his friend would be found at the diner, both because Anakin was likely very hungry but also because it was likely no one would bother him there.

Unless Obi-Wan Kenobi showed up and slid into the booth across from him, which he did.

Anakin didn't hide the irritation he was harboring very well, with his jaw tightly clenched and the annoyed glare he sent the other man. It was far too crowded for any sort of scene to be made, though, so he kept his mouth shut, not trusting that anything other than yells could come out of it at that point in time. Instead, he made like his food and Jawa juice were the most interesting things he'd ever seen and stared intently at them.

Obi-Wan allowed the silence for a time, speaking only when the robotic waitress asked him if he'd like a cup of Jawa juice himself, before continuing to say absolutely nothing. He took the time to try to gage what Anakin was feeling at that moment so he could figure out how exactly to go about settling things and returning the boy home to his… lover? No, they had to have been more than that, so was she Anakin's girlfriend? His wife? Obi-Wan realized had no idea how far their relationship had really progressed, but he felt safe in supposing that they were serious about each other. They had to be to still be together since the first Battle of Geonosis.

He decided to not let the silence continue for very long, as he didn't want to make it a habit of him sitting awkwardly around a table and avoiding discussing things that really needed to be discussed. He knew that him leaving the Order upset Anakin in complex ways, but decided to first bring up why the matter was also interfering with Anakin's romantic relationship.

"I'm sorry I seemed to cause a strife between you and your other." Was other a good way to describe her, Obi-Wan pondered momentarily. He didn't know what else to refer to her as in the public sphere. He certainly didn't need to bring up the fact that she was a senator; that could attract unwanted attention.

Anakin stopped eating, pausing a moment to let out a sigh. "You didn't," was his curt reply. He was obviously still angry, but at least he said something as opposed to refusing to acknowledge him, or even start shouting.

"Padmé mentioned that it seemed like this was a long time coming…" Obi-Wan awkwardly fidgeted with his cup, unsure of how to start a proper dialogue instead of a one-way conversation. "…I still feel remorseful to have prompted the fight."

Anakin cocked an eyebrow, finally looking at the man sitting across from him. He sneered, "Do you really?" Irritation coursed through his veins, making it difficult for him to remain relatively quiet, not wanting to start shrieking and then have the entire diner, and maybe later the entirety of Coruscant, knowing of their squabble.

"I thought your irritation would lie purely with me," Obi-Wan sighed, quickly adding, "…understandably so!" when he saw Anakin's eye squint in rage. "I didn't expect you to become irritated with anyone else because of my decisions." He didn't have the time to use tact; he had to just ask, "Why did it make you angry with her?"

"You heard what I said. You were there." Anakin aggressively jabbed at his food with his fork. "She supports you but when I've offered to leave, she tells me I can't."

"…and you want to leave?" Obi-Wan asked, even though he was certain he knew the answer. He knew Anakin hadn't been happy with the Jedi Order for some time. The Knight didn't exactly hide it. Between the Council's lack of faith and the fact that he had to sneak around with Padmé, it was easy to see why the Order no longer brought Anakin much joy.

Anakin nodded, his expression changing to one that was much more solemn. "I know now that you understand. I was prepared to resign after we got married, when the war had first started. I had everything planned, but when I told her of this before leaving Naboo she said no." He huffed, moving one of the last few pieces of food he had on his plate around with his fork, his eyes in the direction of the plate but it was observable he wasn't really looking at anything. "If it weren't for you, I'd have left the Order anyway."

Obi-Wan hadn't expected to hear that from Anakin, though he realized he shouldn't have been surprised. Anakin was never good at not forming attachments, though he never really thought about the fact that he himself were one of them. It seemed the duo had far more in common than either one of them had initially thought. He almost chuckled, but stifled it knowing it'd be in bad taste if he did so right then.

"Do you want her to ask you to leave? Do you want her to want you to leave?"

"That's part of why this makes me so… frustrated." Anakin dropped his fork, putting his elbows on the tabled and rubbing his temples. "I can't leave now. I have a Padawan! I can't just run off and abandon her…"

Abandon? "…Do you feel like I'm abandoning you Anakin?" Obi-Wan was afraid to ask, but knew that the question needed to be put out in the open.

Anakin grumbled incoherently, not wanting to answer that question, not wanting to be that vulnerable. He knew this was part of the reason attachments were forbidden; it wasn't good for them to get attached to people who weren't going to be able to stay in their lives, as was the norm for the Jedi. He also knew that most, if not all, the Jedi were rather poor at not forming an attachment with at least one person. Anakin, like Obi-Wan, had become attached to quite a few people. Also similarly to Obi-Wan, he'd lost some of those he'd been attached to.

He didn't want to add Obi-Wan to the list of people he'd loved and lost. He didn't want one of the few reasons he stayed in the Order to be gone. It was far too painful for him to imagine living the life of a Jedi, fighting in the war, without his best friend and mentor by his side for most of it, even if he did understand why Obi-Wan had to go.

"I, too, am happy for you, Obi-Wan." Anakin decided to change the subject, for there was no way he was going to admit how much he was hurting to Obi-Wan. He sensed the other Jedi knew anyway, though, so there really was no point in vocalizing it. "You deserve to be happy."

"As do you, my old friend." Obi-Wan grabbed Anakin's forearm and smiled, giving it an affectionate squeeze before pulling it away almost as quickly as it had been there. Neither man was very good at this mushy, affection thing so again, they sat in silence, neither one knowing how to really continue the conversation.

When Anakin finally spoke, his voice sounded almost as it did when he was a child back on Tatoine all those years ago. "Will I ever see you again?"

Again, Obi-Wan smiled. "Of course, Anakin." Even though he was leaving the Jedi Order and he was likely to never see most of the people in it, there was no way he was going to let himself fall out of contact with Anakin. "I'll be sure to visit as often as I can." He stood, leaving some credits on the table to pay for his Jawa juice. "Come on, Anakin. I promised to deliver you home to your… wife." The word felt strange in his mouth, not being one he'd used often. It was especially strange to him thinking of Anakin as a husband, but he knew he'd need to get over it; chances were he'd be a husband sometime soon, as well.

Anakin stood as well, leaving some of his own credits on the table. "Obi-Wan?"

"Yes, Anakin?"

"I'm going to miss you…"

Obi-Wan tensed, not expecting such mush from Anakin, before relaxing. He enjoyed hearing such sentiments from his friend. "I'm going to miss you too."