"Don't sleep – program that head of yours." Anakin sighed and opened his eyes to look at Obi Wan, Que Gon was meeting with the council.

"But Obi,"

"No buts Ani."

"I know why I need to but I can't get how." Obi Wan frowned at Anakin then nodded.

"Alright – I'll meditate, you watch then I'll show you what it looked like when you were trying to meditate. Okay?" Anakin nodded and watched Obi Wan. He frowned as the glowing lights inside Obi Wan moved and changed. Normally there were many various colored lights floating around inside Obi Wan's skin. As he meditated the lights merged until there was only strings of white light, well almost only. A few strands of multicolored light floated around. Then Obi Wan's eyes opened and the multicolored lights increased, but not a lot. "Alright, did you see that?" Anakin nodded. 'Now come here.' Anakin ran along his mental link to Obi Wan's mind – they hadn't told anyone of the secondary bond. The mind was a rough cabin and a beautiful mountain scene.

'I'm here!'

'I can see that.' Obi Wan nodded to the lake. 'Watch' Anakin looked into the lake and he saw himself. He could see himself but he was full of multicolored light – there was no white light. Also not only was he full the light burst out of him at random intervals splotching himself all over the place.

'Eew.' He felt and heard Obi Wan's chuckle he turned to look at Obi Wan. 'Maybe I should meditate in front of a mirror, that way I can see my progress.'

'Not a bad idea. Que Gon.' They waited.

'Yes?' Their Master's voice sounded distracted.

'We are going to the training rooms to meditate – please set aside one for us.' They could feel his curiosity and Obi Wan answered. 'Ani thinks that if he can see his progress he'll do better and I am inclined to agree.'

'Very well.' There was a slight pause. 'Number 13'

'Thank you Master.' Obi Wan turned to Anakin. 'Now scat.' With a giggle Anakin fled back to his own mind but without opening his mind he tried to see his own mind. It was as if he were in a dark room in a sandstorm he opened his eyes, disappointed. "Don't worry too much."

"Why is it so different?"

"When I first started my mind was dark and Chaotic. It took along time." They began walking towards the training rooms.

"Where is that cabin?" Obi Wan smiled.

"The very first place I remember. It is where I was born and lived until I was three with my family." Anakin blinked up at him.

"Really?" Obi Wan nodded with a smile.

'And my mind is a space ship, for that was my home until I was three and a half. Many Jedi have their first homes as the resting place of their minds.' Anakin nodded and thought of the hovel he had shared with his mother.

'Why?'

'Because it gives them peace.' Anakin nodded as they exited the lift and they went to the small training room. All of the training rooms had at least one mirrored surface. Obi wan shut the door and they sat side by side. This time, instead of focusing on his breathing Anakin focused on the image before him – with its tangles going everywhere. Then he closed his eyes and thought of his mother, he was filled with pain for a moment then he felt Obi Wan and Que Gon's supportive presence. He pushed through the pain of leaving her to other times, peaceful ones and he calmed. The sandstorm of emotions was still there but he reached out to calm it.

Obi Wan watched Anakin closely – just after he closed his eyes the boy's force signature fluctuated with pain and fear. He reached out to Anakin mentally and saw him leaving his mother, then they were in different memories. The pain wasn't gone, he was just dealing with other memories first. With a frown Obi Wan contacted Que Gon.

'Master.' He waited.

'Yes Padawan.'

'I think we should start his meditation by memory. He cannot reach his internal peace without facing those memories. We had very few memories and the pain of separation was not as keen, but Anakin is much older and more set in his ways.' He could feel his master's apprehension. Of course he knew the source. Many Jedi had left the order because they couldn't face a memory or absorb the emotions it invoked. In the past, some of them had even become sith. 'Master, we will be here for him.' He felt his master's agreement. And reached out to Anakin's mind. He felt it start. 'Ani, may I help?' Relief flowed from his fellow padawan and Obi Wan found himself on Tantooine – in a sandstorm.

'I can't do it Obi! It's too strong!' Obi wan embraced the boy.

'What is too strong?' then he felt it – pain, anger, hate and fear buffeted him. The sandstorm was made of the lights and emotions and thoughts that made up Anakin – no wonder the council feared to train him.

'You are afraid of me?!'

'No Ani – for you. But the council was wrong. This storm is made of your emotions, but you have never been able to control them. They and your thoughts were all that were free.' Anakin blinked up at ObiWan.

'You are right Padawan. But now you are free and you are in control of yourself, these are a part of you, you will have to face your memories.' Anakin shuddered – that didn't sound pleasant. 'But it is what you must do. If you do not control them then you will be a slave to the past.' Anakin looked up at Que Gon, indignant.

'Never! I will not be a slave.' Que Gon nodded.

'Then you must confront each memory and accept it, organize it make it become you.'

'I don't want too.' Que Gon knelt before him with hi hands on Ani's shoulders and Obi Wan placed an arm around him from behind.

'We will be with you, as long as you want us here.' Anakin looked between the two.

'Alright. Where do we start?'

'The beginning. Concentrate on your earliest memory.' Anakin nodded and the storm swirled about them and they were in a dark, dank place it was cold and they could see a younger Shmi holding a baby wrapped in a dirty rag – they could feel her pain and both were hungry.

The memories went by – The dungeons, his mother's attempts to give him everything he needed. They also saw that he unconsciously healed and strengthened his mother. Then things were better – working for Watto. There were the races, fights, and so many other memories. Finally leaving his mother, the pain, and the fear, the feeling of being alone. A feeling that was severely lessened by the bonds.

Anakin blinked his eyes open and frowned at himself in the mirror. He wasn't full of white light, like the two beside him, but there was some white light and he was inside his own skin. He felt the other two awake and his stomach rumbled. Que Gon smiled and Obi grinned.

"Feeling better Ani?" Que Gon asked softly. He nodded.

"Except I'm ravenously hungry." He chuckled at Ani who ginned back.

"I'm not surprised – we've been at it for three days." Anakin's eyes grew wide.

"Three?" Que Gon nodded.

"Yoda is disgruntled – there's a padawan standing outside the door waiting to inform them that we've come out of it."

"Will we be in trouble?" Anakin looked up.

"No. You are my padawan, and I am allowed to train you as I please." He ruffled Ani's hair. Then his smile softened and answered Anakin's unasked question. "We will not share what we have learned. Your life is your own." Anakin's gaze flickered to Obi Wan.

"Nope, me neither. You're my little brother." Anakin looked both relieved and puzzled. "Most Jedi don't have any family, or very little so we think of each other as family." He grinned over at Que Gon. "Don't we Daddy?" Obi Wan started laughing and ducked Que Gon's swat, but there was no hostility in it and Ani could feel the love and care through the bonds and he dared what Obi Wan never had, he hugged Que Gon.

"I love you Daddy." Though startled Que Gon embraced the little boy then both extended an arm to Obi Wan. "Big brother."


Up in his chambers Yoda frowned, the Force had been disturbed for the past three days, but now the storm had blown over and he could see the Force much clearer. There was a Sith Lord and he was nearby.