A/N: I want to dedicate this chapter to my fiery redheaded friend who got on my ass to post this next chapter.
The Temple was as breathe taking as he remembered it. While he did have some reluctance coming out of the ship and actually following the party to the Temple, Obi-wan realized that he wouldn't have missed this for the world. Even Anakin, who was actively enraged at the sight of him and avoided being anywhere near him, was in awe of the beauty and majesty of the structure in front of him.
His reaction was exactly how Obi-wan remembered his own apprentice's to be. The boy looked as though he was being led to the gates paradise and all he could do was follow quietly and wide eyed at his surroundings. Obi-wan chuckled as he remembered how he too probably had looked when he came to the temple in his youth. As a youngling, he had seen pictures of the place where the Jedi gathered and trained, but it wasn't until Qui-Gon picked him to be his apprentice, that he actually got to see it in person. The images and replicas did not do it justice, the ambiance and presence that this place carried alone could stun even the most stoic of beings to be openly taken with the place. Obi-wan never forgot The Temple, and when Vader destroyed it, he almost died from that loss alone. Seeing it now, it was as if this sacred place had never known war, death, or defeat. It was as though none of it never happened.
'It could never happen,' Obi-wan mused. If he planned everything just right, and took into the accounting how altering certain events could impact others, Obi-wan could keep the Sith from even getting near Anakin and his home. He took a glance at the young boy who was innocent and alive with youth, and that was all it took for him to vow that he would do everything in his power to stop his own past from ever coming into play.
As they went up the steps, Obi-wan looked up and saw that Master Windu and Master Yoda awaited them at the top. A sense of panic grabbed ahold of him. He had forgotten that all the Jedi Masters had returned, not just Qui-Gon. Master Yoda was known for being able to interpret the will of The Force better than anybody. Even better than Anakin.
When they reached the top Obi-wan took every ounce of his resolve that he could muster to stop himself from physically hyperventilating. Would Master Yoda out him in front of everybody? Would he let Obi-wan commit to his mission of altering the time line, or even let Anakin live if he found out what the boy was capable of? All this played in Obi-wan's head as he and his master bowed politely to the two members of the Jedi Council.
"It's good to see you alive and well Master Qui-Gon, we were worried after we lost transmission with you during the Negotiations. How are things on Naboo? Did things get settled?" Asked Windu.
Master Qui-Gon's face became serious. "We were attacked during the negotiations. My padawan and I were able to escape to the capital city Theed, only to find it taken over by The Federation. From there we escaped, but received heavy damage from our enemy. The crew was forced to land on the nearby planet Tatooine. From there we were able to get the necessary parts to repair our ship and get off planet."
With a small smile, Qui-Gon gently nudged Anakin in front of him and continued on with what he had to say.
"This brings me to my next point. Anakin here was the one who made it possible for us to leave the planet safely and without harm, without him, we would still be there. I decided to look into this remarkable young man and found that he has an unusually high midichlorian count. I was hoping, with your permission of course, that the Jedi Council would review him to see if it is possible for him to become a padawan whilst Obi-wan and myself escort the Queen to the Galactic Council's meeting."
The two Master's looked surprised. Well, Master Yoda seemed to have a skeptical look in his eye, whereas Master Windu looked as if he was moments away from protesting the idea.
"Troublesome, news you bring. Conflict is brewing, I fear. Avoid it we must, at all costs." Then Master Yoda shifted his attention to Anakin. "Remarkable, you say he is. Test him, we will. Great power, I sense, within him." Yoda said before Master Windu could argue.
Master Qui-Gon's face lit up in excitement and he knelt down to Anakin's level to address the boy. "Ani, this is Master Yoda. He is the head of the Jedi Council. Follow him, and he will test you to see if you are capable to become a Jedi. Don't worry, you'll be safe with them; I'll be there at the end of your trials."
The young boy hesitated to leave Master Qui-Gon, but he slowly nodded and followed the small green Master into The Temple. Master Windu stared at the pair, and then turned to glare at Obi-wan's Master.
"You know we can't allow him into the Order, he's much too old and full of emotion. I don't know what you're playing at, but I don't like."
"Why Windu, you sound almost accusatory. I simply want to test the boy to see his potential, I have no say in whether or not he makes it into the Order. As I said before, he is a remarkable child and I owe him a great debt, I simply want to help the him." Qui-Gon said with an easy smile and a light tone. Master Windu searched his face for any foul play, but seemed to find none. The older Master seemed to give into Qui-Gon's words, and simply shook his head in exasperation and left in the direction of Yoda.
"And that padawan, is how you defuse a situation" Qui-Gon said as he turned to Obi-wan with laughter in his eyes.
"Yes, but I don't think it counts if the other party is a close friend Master." Obi-wan said in rebuttal to his Master's comment. Said Master only laughed and walked back down the stairs.
"Come, we must escort the Queen and her company to the Senate. We don't want to keep them waiting."
Obi-wan took one last look at the Temple and followed his Master toward the Royal cruiser.
When Obi-wan boarded the ship, he could feel the intense glare of someone's seething anger towards him. It was so intense that he could hardly concentrated on his train of thought. The ship began to lift from the ground and everyone began to assume their positions in the ship, but before the former Jedi Master could follow his Master to wherever he was heading, a hand grabbed ahold of his arm and began aggressively leading him to another part of the ship. Obi-wan quickly saw that it was Padme who was almost violently leading him into a secluded part of the ship. When they finally found an area that was secluded enough for Padme's liking, she whirled around and unleashed her fury on him.
"What is all this Universe compelled you to say that to him?! Do you have any idea what he's been through, or what he sacrificed in order for us to get off that planet safely? No. No you don't, because your one of those pompous bantha's ass Jedis who do as they please under the guise of, 'it's the Will of the Force.' You've probably never suffered the way he did all his life for even a single day. What do you know of pain, suffering, or even sacrifice? Nothing, that's what."
As the senator took a breath to continue to her rant, Obi-wan quickly interjected his own opinions. "I said those words to prove a point. To interceded on the youngling's behalf, you have neglected the danger around you, all on an emotional response to the incident. You've thrown caution to the wind and perused me, a trained killer. Granted, I do full heartedly believe in the Order's code and their pacifist ideology, but I am trained to kill none the less."
To accentuate his point, Obi-wan drew his saber suddenly, the laser light cut the air between him and Padme. The area's dim light around them allowed the saber's blue light to almost singularly illuminate his face. He took a step toward Padme, and she took two steps back. Her eyes widened comically and her mouth was gaped open as if ready to scream, but unable to find the air necessary to do so. Soon, she backed herself into a wall and Obi-wan pinned her there. In no way was he touching her, nor was his blade, but it seemed as though his mere presence left her petrified and robbed her of the ability to run away. Leaning, he lowered his face as close as he physically could without creating physical contact with the queen.
The former Jedi Master looked her dead in the eyes, his calm breathes blew gently across her face. He uttered in an emotionless low tone, "Your words could have offended me. What do you know of my sufferings or what I've gone through? The ways of the Order are not known to outsiders, so you don't know anything about our way of life. We could be ruthless to our followers and beat them to an inch of their life to harden their minds and souls. Our exterior disposition could all be a hoax in order for us to secure a dangerously close position of power in society. The Order could be nothing more than a means to topple society itself and rebuild it again to our standards. All this could be true, and yet you've gone and mouthed off to me. I have you at my mercy, and there is nothing you can do about it. I can do anything I wanted right now and you would be powerless to stop me."
As suddenly as he drew his lightsaber, he retracted it and put it back away under his robes. Quickly, he backed off from the poor flabbergasted woman to let her regain her baring's. Continuing he said, "Of course that's all, and I quote, 'Bantha's ass.' I am merely trying to prove that even you, a grown adult, can make remarkable mistakes. Now, imagine a child like Anakin making those mistakes. That could lead to fatal results. The Jedi are not perfect, we are all living sentient beings in the end, which inevitably lead us to making poor choices just as everyone else does. We, however, have years of training and conditioning from the time we can walk in order to minimize these sort situations from coming to fruition. Anakin will be thrown into a world he doesn't understand and be told that every normal thing he has experienced needs to be forgotten and thrown away. It's hard for a child his age to change mentalities, and that's if he is allowed to join. In no way am I trying to be cruel, all that I've said and done is with that child's wellbeing in mind."
Turning on his heels, Obi-wan began to walk away from the area. Without looking back, he said called out loudly, "While admire your courage, we must pick and choose our battles. Politics are not a response to the emotional wants of the people, but instead to their needs. Am I not right, your highness?"
When Obi-wan was sure he was out of Padme's line of sight, he leaned up against one the many walls of the ship and let out a shaky breath. This whole charade he was parading around was beginning to wear on him. He spared a moment's thought to his former apprentice, wondering if this was what the unruly Jedi meant when he complained of his Master's love for dramatics.
Thinking of him sent a twinge of pain into the Jedis' heart. He still regretted all that he'd done. While it was in an effort to try and save the known universe, his actions still haunted him. Pained screams and the words, 'I hate you' stole his sleep for many years while he lived in hiding on Tatooine.
Before, he could sink lower into his painful memories, the young Jedi cleared his mind and walked onward, following his Master's presence. He soon found his Master in the cockpit with the piolet, calmly surveying everything as they flew through the air.
When Obi-wan came in, Qui-Gon regraded him and said, "I was beginning to wonder where you had wondered off my padawan. Your usually so dutiful." With a playful smile he continued, "What mischief have you gotten yourself tangled in?"
Obi-wan let out a tired sigh, "Nothing of course, my Master. Why would I ever do anything so dreadful?"
That moment, Padme chose to walk in and both Jedis turned to look at her. While she looked perfectly fine appearance wise, her cheeks were visibly scarlet. She noticed a pair of eyes on her and she turned her eyes to meet their gaze. The Queen in disguise accidentally made visual contact with Obi-wan and her flushed face turned beet red. Quickly, she averted her gaze elsewhere. She walked to the opposite side of the room and stayed there for the duration of the ride.
Qui-Gon looked back at his apprentice with a wicked grin, "Yes, how foolish of me to think you would do anything so dreadful my apprentice."
Obi-wan looked pointedly toward the cockpit and said nothing more to his Master. If he did not speak or look at his Master until they landed, it was no one else's business but his own.