"Obi-Wan?" a voice said, suddenly drawing Obi-Wan's attention away from the picture he was staring at.
Turning around, Obi-Wan saw Kieran entering the hovel, "I didn't find anyone in the other hovels," Kieran explained. "I guess most of the slaves are already are off working for the day..."
Suddenly noticing the picture in Obi-Wan's hand, Kieran sighed, "In one of my father's last letters to my mother, he talked of meeting a Force-sensitive slave boy named Anakin Skywalker while stranded on Mos Espa," he explained. "He wrote that after some sort of Pod-race, Anakin was freed into his care and they left Tatooine together. However, from how my father ended his letter, he said that Anakin seemed sorrowful about leaving, as he was free, but his mother remained a slave."
Oh dear, I expressed my opinion about Anakin in a rather negative way when I first heard of him. Obi-Wan realized, suddenly ashamed of how self-righteous and arrogant he had been long ago.
"There is nobody to blame for what has since happened," Kieran suddenly said, as if reading Obi-Wan's thoughts of regret. "However, I do think that you should return the photo to Anakin."
Nodding, as he had intended to do that anyway, Obi-Wan carefully tucked the photo into his pocket and couldn't help but wonder if the photo was what he needed to get to the root of Anakin's issues.
"Anyway, since there was nobody in the hovels, my business here is finished for now," Kieran stated, sensing that, in seeing the picture, Obi-Wan had suddenly become anxious about returning to Anakin to provide help. "We can leave for the Lars homestead anytime you're ready."
Obi-Wan nodded and left the hovel with Kieran, anxious about what lay ahead.
Hours later, as the suns were beginning to slide from their place in the sky, Kieran's speeder bike slowed to a halt in front of the Lars homestead. Obi-Wan and Kieran got off the bike and waited.
"Doctor Jinn, I thought I could hear your speeder bike approaching," Beru, who had just settled Luke down with some toys, said graciously, as she came out of the house.
Kieran smiled as Beru looked at Obi-Wan, "Ben, it's a relief to see you still alive," she said, her concern suddenly emerging in her tone of voice. "Owen, come out here..."
After a moment, Owen, who had just been in the garage, emerged from the house and immediately looked relieved upon seeing Obi-Wan, "It's been a long time, Kenobi," he stated, although there was relief in his tone. "I must admit that I am actually quite relieved you came back."
"Doctor Jinn, why don't you come and do checkups on both Derrick and Luke?" Beru suggested, knowing that it was better for Owen and Ben to discuss Anakin by themselves.
Nodding, Kieran quickly followed Beru inside. Owen crossed his arms and frowned at Obi-Wan.
"Anakin's in the garage and although I know he's building a speeder bike, I have no idea why," Owen stated, his voice full of concern. "He won't talk to anyone about what's bothering him."
Sighing, Obi-Wan nodded, as he understood that Anakin was choosing to focus on things he could control rather than deal with unstable emotions. "How is Anakin towards Luke?" he inquired, as he couldn't help but wonder if Luke was being negatively affected by Anakin's state.
"Ben, honestly, Luke is the only thing that brings a spark of happiness to Anakin's heart," Owen confessed, worry in his voice. "Anakin has done so much for that little boy and Luke loves him."
For once, Obi-Wan was at a loss for words. Had Anakin really slipped that far into inner turmoil?
"Come inside, I'll take you to him," Owen said, taking Ben's silence as a sign that he was ready to help bring Anakin back to the world of the living.
Obi-Wan nodded and followed Owen inside, silently hoping that Anakin was not too far gone to save.
Owen opened the door to the garage and both he and Obi-Wan entered in silence.
Anakin was lingering at one of the workbenches, silently using some of Owen's tools to work on a part that, Obi-Wan assumed, was for the partially built speeder bike that was in the far corner.
"Anakin?" Owen asked, although he knew Anakin would probably not answer.
Sure enough, there was silence and Anakin continued to work, as if he hadn't heard Owen at all.
"I'll leave you to deal with him, Kenobi," Owen whispered, as he left Obi-Wan alone with Anakin.
There was silence, as Obi-Wan used the Force to try and figure out how to handle this.
Suddenly remembering the picture he had found in the hovel, Obi-Wan pulled the picture from his pocket and carefully set it on the table within Anakin's view. He then stepped back to wait.
For a moment, Anakin paid no attention to the picture, but, suddenly, he stopped and stared at it.
Obi-Wan watched in silence as Anakin quickly put his work aside and picked up the picture. He then turned and quickly walked out of the garage in silence. Concerned, Obi-Wan followed.
The silence continued as Obi-Wan followed Anakin outside and watched as the young Jedi Knight walked over to the edge of the homestead's border and looked out to the setting suns.
"Padme and I left the safety of Naboo a long time ago because I had nightmares about my mother," Anakin suddenly said, his voice distant. "When we arrived here, Cliegg Lars told me that my mother had been taken by Tusken Raiders...she had been given up for dead."
Suddenly frowning, as he could sense where this story would lead, Obi-Wan wisely chose to remain silent, as he knew it was important for Anakin to tell the experiences himself.
"I took Owen's speeder bike to the Tusken Raider camp, hoping to save her," Anakin continued, his voice breaking. "She was badly beaten and managed to express her love for me before dying in my arms..."
Shaking uncontrollably, as his heart was so full of guilt over that night, Anakin sank to his knees and began to sob, "I COULDN'T SAVE HER!" he shouted, both anger and sorrow in his voice. "I couldn't...I wasn't all powerful and I sought to be...so others wouldn't share her fate..."
Bending over, Anakin pressed his face to the sand and continued to sob, "I vowed to stop people from dying, I vowed to become all powerful," he confessed. "...My quest for power caused pain and death for many and it nearly destroyed me...Now, I'm powerless to move on..."
Feeling as if Anakin had finally come to a point where he could break through the prison of pain and anguish that tortured him, Obi-Wan gently placed a hand on Anakin's back, "You're not powerless to move on, Anakin, for I am now here to help you," he gently assured the young Jedi Knight, "I may have had to leave for a time, but I am now back and I promise that I will help you."
As if to prove the sincerity in his promise, Obi-Wan knelt beside Anakin and held him in an embrace, "You're not alone, Anakin," Obi-Wan whispered. "You will never be alone."
From the doorway, Owen and Kieran watched in silence, both relieved that a breakthrough had been made. Kieran had found both Luke and Derrick to be healthy and he was now ready to again depart.
However, upon coming upon Anakin sobbing into the sand and being held by his friend and former Master, Kieran and Owen lingered and watched silently, amazed by what was happening.
Anakin had finally broken free of his inner prison and steps could now be taken to help him grow again.
