It had taken about three hours, but she'd finally scoured the entire Jedi Temple from top to bottom. She had been to every single one of Obi-Wan's favorite places, and even some of his least favorites, and still…
No sign of the Master Jedi.
He wasn't in his quarters when she'd arrived for her turn to spend time with him, so Ahsoka had resorted to wandering the temple.
Interesting as her journey was, her feet were growing tired and she was looking forward to sitting down.
Maybe Master Obi-Wan will just want to take it easy and play sabacc or something
It was this thought that took her back to Obi-Wan's room. After all, he didn't seem to be anywhere else in the temple. It was only logical he would be somewhere in his quarters.
There was no answer when she knocked on the door, she used the key he'd given her a few weeks after she had become Anakin's Padawan. Her Master no doubt possessed one too, since this was the living space he used to share with Obi-Wan when he was a Padawan himself.
Ever so quietly, on the very off-chance he was sleeping, Ahsoka crept into the main living room. "Master Obi-Wan?"
Nothing.
If he's not here, I'm going to lose my mind!
She tried calling a little louder this time. "Master Obi-Wan?"
A terrible clatter sounded in the kitchen, followed by a hissed curse and a harried voice: "Obi-Wan? What? Where? Gah!"
"Skyguy?" Jogging into the small kitchen area, Ahsoka balked at the sight of Anakin rubbing his head amidst a sea of… whatever sort of little crackers he'd spilled all over the floor. "What are you doing in here? Are you okay?"
"Yeah." He winced. "Just hit my head on this stupid drawer. Who keeps drawers at eye level? They're supposed to sit below the counter, for crying out loud!"
She couldn't help but smirk. "Well, Skyguy, you are pretty tall. But why are you tearing apart Master Obi-Wan's kitchen?"
"I was hungry! And I was getting bored waiting for you guys to come back. He has nothing interesting to do here anymore."
"Wait, isn't Master Obi-Wan here with you?"
A pit formed in her stomach as Anakin shook his head. "I thought he was with you."
"Well, he's not, and I just spent the last three hours searching for you guys!"
Paling, Anakin almost bashed his head into the drawer again, which he still hadn't slid back into the wall. "Wait, wait. So, if you don't have Obi-Wan, and I'm not with him, and if he's not anywhere around the temple…" He smacked a hand against his face, moaning. "Oh no. We messed up, Ahsoka. Stang, we messed up!"
"Sorry, we?"
"I messed up! Okay? I did!"
"Master, calm down! What happened? I'm sure he's—"
"I yelled at him. We fought, I yelled, he yelled, and then he left. I haven't seen him since. I was just so mad! I didn't want—" A heavy sigh shook his body. "And now I have no idea where he is."
"Well, he's got to be somewhere in the temple, right?"
"I hope so, Ahsoka. I sure hope so. Stang!" A dull thud echoed throughout the room as Anakin slammed a fist onto the counter. "He can't do this to me again, Snips! He can't!"
The situation was spiraling out of control faster than she could even wrap her head around it. This definitely wasn't the relaxing afternoon with her grandmaster she'd anticipated. "Master, we don't know for certain that he's left the temple. Let's just… take another look around before we jump to any conclusions."
"You said you just searched the entire temple," Anakin reminded. "What will another look do?"
"I don't know, it might—"
"He told me I was bold to assume things could ever go back to how they used to be," he continued, his passion rising. "How was I even supposed to respond to that?"
"I know you're hurting, Master." Her tone was soft, gentle, as if she was trying to calm a raging gundark. "But you're not the only one. We all need each other if we're going to get through this, and that means not placing any blame—especially on yourself."
"I know that, believe me. I just… wish he'd let me help him."
"We can help him right now by finding him, okay? What better way to show you care than not giving up on someone?"
Hesitantly, Anakin nodded.
Finally! Why is it so hard to knock some sense into these guys?
Men, she scoffed to herself.
"Now, let's get moving before one of the council members finds him first."
Anakin shivered, but a smirk laced his face. "Don't even think such horrible things, Snips."
For the next hour, the duo scoured the temple, and with each room they entered, they also left it empty handed. Ahsoka's hope of finding Obi-Wan dwindled.
She kept thinking of what Anakin had told her, of what Obi-Wan had said before he left.
Please, don't leave us again. I can't handle it. I can't handle Anakin not handling it.
But the longer they searched, the more Ahsoka began to suspect they wouldn't find her grandmaster. At least, not anywhere in the temple.
"Master, I don't think he's here anymore." She tried in vain to keep the exhaustion out of her voice, and she hoped Anakin wouldn't pick up on it.
"Where else would he be?"
She only shrugged. Coruscant was so big, so busy, that merely thinking about all the places Obi-Wan could've gone made her head hurt.
Anakin growled. "I never should've shouted at him."
"I think he would've left whether you two fought or not," Ahsoka began, realization slowly dawning on her. "He's probably sick of being here."
"Why? He loves the temple? He never got sick of it when there wasn't a war on. Why now?"
"Because it's different right now. He's hurting, and if I were him, I want to get away for awhile, too. Away from the stares…"
"What stares?"
"Don't tell me you haven't looked at him the same way I have." She crossed her arms protectively over her chest. "Like… if you touch him… if you say the wrong word… he'll shatter into a million pieces."
"Aw, Snips, don't beat yourself up—"
"I didn't even realize I was doing it. Not until I thought more about what he said to you. That things might never be the same again."
For once, Anakin had nothing to say, so he simply rubbed his arm, waves of guilt washing off him and into the Force.
"Yeah," he whispered finally. "Yeah…"
"So… what do we do now?"
"Keep looking, I guess, and now that we know for sure he's not here—"
"Who's not here?"
Ahsoka forced herself not to jump at the sound of the Jedi Master's voice.
"Master Windu!" Anakin exclaimed, unable to hide his surprise as easily. "What are you doing here?"
The councilman was unamused, per the usual. "I live here."
"No, sorry, I mean here, here," Anakin amended, pointing to the tiled ground of the hall for emphasis.
"I think the better question would be: what are you two doing here?"
Now you've done it, Skyguy.
Me? What did I do?
You shouldn't have said that so loud.
Well, how loud was I supposed to talk? Any lower and you wouldn't have been able to hear me!
Yeah, well, apparently Master Windu heard you just fine.
I know, I know! Just… let me think for a minute. I'll get us out of this.
You better. But of course, she kept this thought to herself, as she didn't think Skyguy would appreciate it very much.
"And where's Obi-Wan?" Windu continued.
Ahsoka exchanged a glance with Anakin, wondering where his so-called 'quick thinking' would take them next.
"Honestly?" Anakin began. "I don't know."
Master Windu's eyebrows rose, his disapproval written clearly across his face. "You don't know? And why is that? As I recall, you two volunteered to keep an eye on him while he recovers. If you're incapable of doing so, I'm sure Master Che would be more than willing to take the job."
"No, no, I mean," Anakin blurted, "we don't know where he is right now, but we did."
"I'm not following."
Come on, Skyguy. Come on…
"What would you say if I told you we were all playing hide and seek? I mean, the temple sure is big enough, am I right?"
It was a physically painful statement to listen to, and Ahsoka had to use the last of her self-control to keep herself from facepalming.
Great going, Master. Even I could have done better.
Yeah? I didn't see you trying.
That's because you said you were going to handle it!
"I would say," Master Windu intoned, crossing his arms, "that if indeed you are playing such a game, then I believe you both just lost."