Anakin was fidgeting.

The young Jedi had successfully piloted their ship into hyperspace, settling them in for the 13 hour ride to Raydonia. Normally at this point, Obi-Wan would complain about the excessive loops Anakin had taken into the atmosphere. Or Anakin, who never managed silence for long, would provoke his master into some debate over lightsaber combat or what Master Windu's various facial cues meant. Or dessert. Anakin loved talking about dessert.

However, twenty minutes into their flight, neither Jedi had spoken a word. They sat uncomfortably in their cockpit, distracting themselves with calculations (which Anakin had "checked" three times already) or a datapad on Raydonia (whose first paragraph Obi-Wan was still reading).

Obi-Wan glanced at his former Padawan. Come on, Kenobi, he thought, Say something. Say anything. Should I just come out and say sorry about the Hardeen thing? Would he get mad? Maybe I can ease in with that discussion we had about Sparklemint sticks some weeks ago….

Before he had a chance to say anything, Anakin cleared his throat. "Uh, Master? I think I'll take R2 back for some tuning. I just want to clean him up a bit."

Obi-Wan looked up, startled. "Oh. Um. Yes. That sounds like a good idea."

Nodding, Anakin beckoned to the droid, the pair making their way out of the cockpit.

Watching them leave, Obi-Wan slumped into his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Blast it.


Kriff. I should have said something to Obi-Wan.

Anakin carefully opened R2 up, examining the parts inside. For a droid who spent a great deal of his life in war zones, he was in remarkably good shape. Anakin loved fixing R2 almost as much as R2 enjoyed being fixed.

Throwing himself into the work, Anakin let his thoughts drift. For what seemed like the millionth time since taking off, he wished Padme was here.

Well, that in and of itself wasn't so unusual. He spent practically every moment of his life wishing his Angel was at his side. However, he usually wished for Padme, his Angel, not Senator Amidala, the politician. She would know exactly how to navigate this weird tension between him and Obi-Wan.

I wish I could tell Obi-Wan about her. About us. Anakin sighed. But he wouldn't get it. I'd be out of the Order in two seconds.

As if sensing his friend's dark mood, R2 beeped inquisitively.

"Nah, I'm fine, buddy," Anakin said smiling down at his friend. "Just some stuff with Obi-Wan's got me kind of upset."

R2 beeped, angrily shaking a little as he offered his unique brand of help.

Anakin laughed. "You know, I appreciate the offer, but I don't think you should shock Obi-Wan." R2 beeped hopefully. "No, not even a little shock."

R2 booped again, suggesting that such methods often worked with Threepio.

Anakin frowned, wagging his wrench at the droid. "It only works with Threepio because you know he won't fight back."

R2 beeped again.

"R2 no, no tripping either. Yes, I know you don't like the loose wire jokes, but that's just how he copes with stress! No, I can definitely work it out. Yes, R2 without your help! How? I'll just talk to him ok? Just because it doesn't work with Threepio doesn't mean it won't work with us either."

Finishing his maintenance, Anakin closed the droid up, glaring at him. "I'm not a pansy! Look, I'll prove it to you right now, ok?"

Anakin gathered his tools in a huff, muttering about stubborn droids and reprogramming.

R2 happily followed his master to the cockpit.


Obi-Wan looked up from his datapad as Anakin and R2 reentered the cockpit. "How's R2 doing?" he asked.

Anakin shrugged. "Pretty good. Nothing major going on."

R2 angrily added his own assessment.

Frowning, Obi-Wan turned toward Anakin. "What did he just say?"

Anakin smirked. "Just that he appreciates your concern."

R2 trilled indignantly at the translation while Obi-Wan muttered "That's definitely not what he said."

However, though he was used to the droid's erratic outbursts, this seemed unusually aggressive, even for him. Looking at his young friend, Obi-Wan steeled himself. Come on, Kenobi. Just start. "So. Any particular reason he's even more upset with me than usual?"

Realizing he hadn't actually thought through what he wanted to say, Anakin faltered. "Uh. Just some stuff I mentioned to him."

Obi-Wan nodded. R2 did seem to be Anakin's best therapist. "Would-would you like to talk about it?"

Anakin shifted uncomfortably. Just out with it. Where do I start? I wish you trusted me more? I'm kriffing euphoric that you're alive? Did you know I'm married? Why the hell did you do that to me?

"So, uh Maul. I don't have a great feeling about this."

Obi-Wan sighed. "Nor do I," he admitted. "This whole situation has me quite…unsettled."

Anakin nodded, a little surprised. Obi-Wan didn't often admit his reservations so openly. "It's weird, you know?" said Anakin. "Maul. He was the first Sith I ever saw."

Now it was Obi-Wan's turn to be surprised. "Yes, I suppose you're right. The first Sith to appear in millennia." He smiled softly. "Of course, you'd run into him."

Anakin grinned. "Anakin Skywalker. Danger magnet of twenty plus years."

Obi-Wan laughed. "Well before you met me. So glad I'm not responsible for that."

Anakin rolled his eyes. "I'd like to think that I just refined my natural talent under your tutelage, Master."

"I haven't the faintest idea of what you're talking about," responded Obi-Wan lightly before sobering. "But yes, Maul…" He went quiet for a moment. "He changed everything, "he whispered.

Anakin nodded uneasily. "Yeah. Changed. We would've never been thrown together if it weren't for him." Was that a good thing?

"Indeed, we wouldn't have" murmured Obi-Wan. Was that a good thing?

The two men sat together for a long time, each lost in their own thoughts, unaware that the other was also imagining the many futures that may have come to pass in the wake of Qui-Gon Jinn's survival. Not all of them entirely positive. Finally, Anakin stretched, barely holding back a yawn.

"Well, we weren't even back on Coruscant for a whole day. I think we should probably try to grab some sleep."


Within an hour, Anakin was fast asleep in his quarters, exhausted. Obi-Wan, however, wasn't so lucky.

He was on Naboo.

Obi-Wan watched helplessly from behind the screen as his beloved Master battled Darth Maul alone. He watched as the older Jedi was stabbed, heard someone screaming before he realized that it was him.

The battle went quickly as he sawed the monster in half and crashed to his knees at his Master's side. He cradled the man's face as Qui-Gon heaved painful breaths in his arms, ignoring the hot tears on his face. No. NO. He cast around, looking for anyone, anything to save his precious Master. Finding none, he cast his gaze down at his Master's eyes once more.

Only it wasn't Qui-Gon lying limp in his arms anymore.

It was Anakin.

"Master? Master? OBI-WAN!"

Obi-Wan's eyes shot open. Standing above him, a hand on his shoulders was Anakin. Alive. And worried.

"Obi-Wan? Can you hear me? Are you okay?"

Shakily, Obi-Wan nodded, sitting himself upright. "I'm fine, Anakin."

Anakin crossed his arms, frowning. "No. You're not. I could feel your distress all the way from my dreams. What happened? What was your nightmare about?"

Obi-Wan hesitated, too shaken to lie, yet unwilling to share the whole truth. "It was about Qui-Gon," he admitted finally, avoiding Anakin's eyes.

"Oh." Anakin softened, moving to sit on Obi-Wan's bed, feeling a little guilty. I shouldn't have brought up Maul. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

No. I can't bear to think of that ever again.

"I'm fine, Anakin, really. You should go back to sleep. I think I'll try to do the same."

Anakin's frown deepened. "Obi-Wan, I know you, I felt how bad that was. If you're not gonna share, then at least let me spend the night with you," he said, already moving to scooch into Obi-Wan's bed. Anakin had often run to Obi-Wan's room for comfort when he was young, and though the practice had faded during Anakin's teenage years, they had resumed it during the war. After particularly difficult days, after especially haunting battles, it had helped to just have the other man close by. It was comforting to each of them to have his brother at his back, even in sleep.

Obi-Wan sighed, unwilling to commit to the arrangement. Come on, Negotiator. You can talk him out of this.

"You drool."

"And you snore. Shut up and go to sleep."

Grumbling, Obi-Wan settled back down, resigned to having the young Jedi crash on his bed. Anakin, predictably, was asleep within minutes. To his surprise, Obi-Wan was as well.


The town was a nightmare.

Anakin and Obi-Wan walked uneasily through the dead silence of the abandoned streets, taking in the toppled wares and the creaking hinges of half-smashed doors. They passed an eerie R4 unit, who was banging its dome repeatedly against a wall until Obi-Wan silently deactivated it with the Force. Anakin swallowed. Suddenly, he was glad he had left R2 to guard the ship.

They continued their walk through town, each trying his best to ignore slain bodies that littered the streets.

"Why," whispered Anakin as they passed body of a young woman. "Why would they do this? We would've come anyway!"

Obi-Wan shook his head sadly. "That is the Dark Side of the Force, my Padawan."

Anakin suppressed a shudder as they made it to the end of the street. "Do you sense it?"

Obi-Wan nodded turning his to large warehouse now in front of them. "Maul and Savage are in there."

"Right," said Anakin, tamping down his nerves. He had to concentrate now, reign in his emotions. He would not let Obi-Wan down. "Let's go."

"Anakin?" said Obi-Wan, putting his hand on the young man's shoulder. He looked into his Padawan's eyes, a thousand words he wanted to say on his tongue, but so very limited by time and circumstance. "Just… be careful. Okay?"

"Yes, Master," said Anakin, searching his eyes. "You too."

Obi-Wan sighed. "Very well then."

The two Jedi lit their lightsabers and cautiously entered the warehouse. There were boxes piled all over the room, with a few flickering lights joining their sabers in illuminating them. It set Anakin's teeth on edge- far too easy for someone to hide in here. The walked side by side, both eyes and Force senses examining the area.

"Kenobi."

Anakin and Obi-Wan froze, their attention instantly on the walkway above them where a red figure stood examining them. "And Skywalker. What a delight to have the famed Team gracing my presence."

Obi-Wan coughed politely. "I'm sorry, have we met?"

Anakin groaned internally. If they survived this, he would stab Obi-Wan himself. Why did the Council Masters always complain about his impulse control when Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi had never managed to restrain a single sarcastic comment in his life?

Maul looked down at the two Jedi, yellow eyes glinting fiercely. "I'm sure you'll remember the man who skewered your master soon enough."

Before Obi-Wan could respond, he and Anakin felt the Force moving behind them. Anakin quickly sprang to block Savage Oppress' strike as the hulking man moved out of the shadows to attack the Jedi.

"Anakin, you hold off Savage, I'll take Maul," called Obi-Wan as he ran toward the walkway were the Sith had ignited his own red lightsaber. I'll not let that monster anywhere near Anakin.

"Obi-Wan, no!" yelled Anakin, unable to take his attention away from the Savage's relentless strikes. "We have to take them together! Draw them in!"

I'm sorry, Anakin, thought Obi-Wan as he Force-jumped onto the walkway, eyes on Maul. He stepped cautiously toward the Sith, his lightsaber already held in the familiar Soresu stance. "Hello, there."

"You may have forgotten me, Kenobi, but I will never forget you," snarled Maul as he launched himself at the Jedi. "The pain you have caused me," he hissed, "I will return it a hundred-fold."

Sidestepping Maul's strikes, Obi-Wan threw the Force behind his next blow. "I disposed of you once, Maul. I hardly think it'll be too difficult to do so again."

Grunting, Maul swiped at Obi-Wan's legs before blocking the next strike. "I killed the man who trained you," laughed Maul cruelly. "How much could that incompetent have passed on to you?"

Obi-Wan growled fiercely, launching a series of blows against his opponent. Maul easily blocked the strikes, laughing. "You're getting sloppy, Kenobi. That's it. Let your rage unbalance you."

"Never," said Obi-Wan desperately as he missed his next strike. Maul easily sidestepped the Jedi and threw Obi-Wan off the walkway with a powerful Force push. Obi-Wan landed hard on the floor, gasping as the wind rushed out of him.

"Obi-Wan!" cried Anakin as he watched his master fall. Savage instantly capitalized on the young Jedi's distraction. He threw a hard punch at Anakin's head, badly disorienting the young man before throwing the Jedi against a wall.

"ANAKIN!" gasped Obi-Wan, watching in horror as his friend crumpled to the ground, motionless.

"A hundred-fold," said a voice above him. "I will return the pain a hundred-fold."

Obi-Wan briefly saw the metal foot rushing to his head. Then, his world went black.


Obi-Wan awoke with a splintering headache. He tried to open his eyes, but even the dim lights from the warehouse caused his sore head too much pain.

The warehouse. Maul. Anakin.

Ignoring the pain, Obi-Wan pushed himself to his feet, looking frantically around the warehouse. He stretched out with his Force senses, feeling no signatures nearby.

Anakin? Where is Anakin?

A cold dread settled over heart. No,no,no,no,no,no,no,no,no,no. Anakin couldn't be dead. He refused to believe it. If Anakin was dead, Obi-Wan himself would have died right along with him.

Then where is he? Why did Maul leave me here? WHERE IS ANAKIN?

Trying to orient himself, Obi-Wan turned to the corner where he had last seen Anakin fall. He friend's figure was no longer on the floor, but in the shadows he could just make out some kind of shape on the ground.

His lightsaber maybe?

Cautiously, Obi-Wan moved toward the corner, even as the Force screamed in his ears. Heart hammering, he reached the object on the floor, instantly identifying it- and it wasn't Anakin's lightsaber.

Obi-Wan collapsed on his hands and knees as he threw up, stomach heaving as he was sick on the floor.

It seemed that Maul had sent him a message after all. Anakin's freshly severed robotic arm lay on the floor beside him.