SHADES OF GREY.
(Set during Star Wars Clone Wars, Ahsoka is Obi-wan's Padawan.) Padme never admitted her love to Anakin.
With the loss of his mother and the aftermath of Geonosis, Anakin left the Jedi and disappeared... After his ship crashes on an uninhabited planet, Obi-wan is rescued by a group of 'Resistance Fighters' lead by Anakin; but his former Padawan is changed, angry and bitter - can Obi-wan help him find peace, or will Anakin turn to the darkside?
CHAPTER SEVEN.
Obi-wan cringed at Anakin's furious reaction to Padme's news, he hadn't expected Anakin to forgive her, not that soon - but he hadn't expected him to be that angry either.
As Anakin strode passed him, he kicked the edge of the bed. "You can stop pretending to be asleep," his voice was an angry snap as he glared down at him.
Obi-wan shook his head. "You shouldn't be angry at her Anakin," sitting up, he sighed, "she didn't want to ruin your future as a Jedi."
"My future as a Jedi?" He actually laughed, spreading his hands, Anakin glared at Obi-wan. "I didn't have a future as a Jedi!"
"And did you know that then?" Standing Obi-wan raised his eyebrows, "did you know you were going to leave the Jedi Order, on naboo, when you told padme how you felt?"
"No." Anakin looked away from his former master.
"Then how do you think Padme would have felt if you two had been caught, and you had been expelled from the Order?" Obi-wan asked, "how long would it have been before you had resented her for ruining your future?"
Anakin scowled, "I would have at least wanted the chance." She growled angrily, "but she went ahead and made that choice for us, she decided we didn't have a chance." Shrugging, he shot a glare towards the cockpit, "I'm just honouring her decision."
x
Padme closed her eyes, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall as she listened to Anakin's angry tirade. She'd made a mistake, at the time, it had seemed like the best option - to not admit her feelings, to let him go...
It had been the biggest mistake of her life.
"Are you alright?"
Looking at Obi-wan, Padme nodded, "he hates me." she whispered, tears finally falling down her cheeks.
Shaking his head, Obi-wan placed a hand on her shoulder, "he's just hurt and angry." He didn't actually hate any of them, not Padme, not the Jedi, or even Obi-wan himself. "Just give him time."
"What if you're wrong?" She asked, "what if he doesn't love me anymore?"
Obi-wan glanced back toward Anakin, "then that is his choice to make."
xx
"We're here." Anakin strode back into the cockpit, he had slept for the remainder of the trip, allowing Obi-wan to pilot the ship."Land on that cliff side."
Obi-wan frowned, they were in the middle of nowhere. 'Why would Maul come here?"
Breathing deeply, Anakin shrugged as Obi-wan set the ship down as he'd directed. "This is where my mother died." Swallowing, he took a deep breath. "let's go."
Padme cleared her throat, "what am I supposed to do?"
"Stay on the ship," Anakin snapped back at her, "you won't be any help against him."
As they walked off the ship, Obi-wan sighed softly, "I suppose it's useless to tell you that she's sorry."
"Wouldn't mean anything, even if it were true." Anakin shot back, striding to toward the edge of the cliff. Maul was waiting, as Anakin had known he would be. Looking at Obi-wan he scowled, 'this time, don't concern yourself with me." Leaping down to the ground below, Anakin took a deep, shaky breath.
Obi-wan moved beside him, "I'll go in first." he told Anakin, "You_"
"We go in together," Anakin glared at him, "I'm fine." Whipping out his lightsaber, Anakin nodded towards Maul. "This time, don't let him escape."
x
Padme watched from the ship, her eyes wide as Anakin and Obi-wan rushed forward. Even injured, Anakin was amazing. He blocked every blow Maul sent his way, attacking ferociously, pushing the Sith Lord back. Obi-wan fought equally well, but he was more controlled...
It wasn't enough, if Anakin hadn't been injured, they might have stood a chance. But the longer the fight went on, the more obvious his pain became. Maul focused on him, merely blocking Obi-wan's attacks, barely acknowledging his presence.
Padme cringed, hissing in a worried breath as Anakin staggered... She couldn't just stand there and watch, couldn't sit by and do nothing while Anakin literally fought for his life. Taking a deep breath, Padme let it out slowly and ran from the ship.
x
Anakin cursed silently, blocking another brutal blow aimed at his left side. The effort made him gasp in pain. Obi-wan wasn't able to get passed Maul's defense, the Sith was blocking his every attack with ease, while focusing entirely on him_
The blaster bolt shot took them all by surprise, Maul's head snapped up, staring in surprise at Padme.
Anakin grinned, rushing in while he was distracted, Obi-wan taking the opportunity to launch a relentless series of controlled, brutal strikes. Anakin came in from behind this time, slicing at Maul's head. His blow was blocked. Just.
Maul's face twisted into an enraged snarl, his duel-bladed lightsaber, whirled, both blades focused on him. Padme's blaster shot, hit him in the back, Obi-wan's diagonal slash, sliced deep into Maul's shoulder.
Maul roared, pushing them back as he ran. The sand around them was whipped into a swirling dust cloud, blocking the Sith Lord's escape. When the dust cleared, he was gone.
Breathing hard, Anakin stared at padme. if not for her intervention, they wouldn't have been able to injure Maul at all. It would have been them retreating instead.
He and Padme were back-to-back, fighting droids and flying Geonosians, Anakin glanced at her, grinning. "You call this diplomacy?"
"No," padme answered, grinning back, "I call it aggressive negotiations."
He barely realised he was moving, striding to her. Padme's eyes were wide as she saw Anakin approaching, she expected him to yell at her, so when he gripped her shoulders gently, leaning down to kiss her, it took her by complete surprise. Closing her eyes, padme wrapped her arms around him, leaning upward, deepening the already passionate kiss.
