Obi-Wan spent the rest of the day in the library, trying in vain to establish connections long after Padmé had gone home to work on her homework. There had to be something here, there just had to be. He felt it in his gut, and he was rarely ever wrong. Perhaps if he could just meet this Maul... maybe something would click in place. Reluctantly, he packed up and went home. He didn't have the energy to make himself real food for dinner, so he ate one of Anakin's poptarts. They weren't half bad. After changing into his pajamas, he sat on the couch to be assaulted by licks from Artoo.

"Hey... Alright... that's... please stop," Obi-Wan begged.

Artoo let out what sounded like a sigh and settled into the couch, resting his chin on Obi-Wan's leg and whining a little bit. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes.

"Oh, alright," he murmured with a small smile before petting the dog. Threepio came out from behind the curtain across the room and stretched before hopping down to the floor. Obi-Wan let out a small sigh. "I know. I miss him, too."

His eyes flicked to the clock. It was still early in the evening, almost eight. He turned a smile back to the furry creatures around him before putting on the tv. "Alright, what do we want to watch?" he asked, flicking through the stations. He stopped when Artoo barked. He had to laugh at himself, listening to a dog like the dog actually understood what was going on. "Alright, we'll watch Pirates of the Caribbean."

Together, man and beasts settled in to watch the movie. However, the events of the day started to take its toll on Obi-Wan and he soon fell asleep cuddling some ball of fur.

That was... until the door flew open.

Obi-Wan checked the clock. Midnight.

"Anakin?" he tentatively called out.

Anakin rounded the corner dressed in all black and blinked in surprise. He was breathing hard like he had ran.

"Obi-Wan? What are you still doing up?"

"I think the more appropriate question is what are you doing back so late?" Obi-Wan asked. "And why are you out of breath? Did something happen?"

"Nothing happened," Anakin quickly deflected, going towards his room. Obi-Wan heard him rattling around in there before coming back out with a bag. "I'll be gone for a day or two."

"Going where?" Obi-Wan asked incredulously. "It's the middle of the week and you have school!"

"I'll get my things done."

"Anakin-"

"Just take care of Artoo and Threepio while I'm gone, okay? The instructions are still on the fridge," Anakin said as he made his way back towards the door.

"Now wait just a second!" Obi-Wan called after him as he saw a flash of metal from the open bag. What was that?

"Bye, Obi-Wan!"

"Anakin!" he called out down the hall as the man jogged away.

Obi-Wan's heart thudded in his chest. Something wasn't right. Anakin never acted like this. It was worrying him. What would Qui-Gon do? Obi-Wan thought, God, what would Qui-Gon do? He was panicking. He wasn't equipped to deal with this. He knew it was late, but he didn't know what else to do, so he knocked on the door across the hall. Footsteps ran across the apartment before a light turned on behind the door and it opened.

"Obi-Wan?" Padmé asked sleepily, "What is-"

He pulled her into a hug, burying himself in her neck. "I'm so sorry, darling. I know it's late, but I just... I didn't know where else to turn."

Her arms looped around to hold him tightly, quickly waking up for him. "What's happened?"

"It's Anakin," Obi-Wan replied as he pulled back. "I... I don't know what to do."

Padmé sighed. "Come in."

She gently pulled him in and deposited him on the couch before going to make him some herbal tea. When she was finished, she handed him the cup.

"Tell me everything," she said softly.

"You know he hasn't been coming home at normal hours," Obi-Wan sighed. "I fear... I fear that he may be in with the wrong crowd."

"He said they were his co-workers," Padmé replied.

"I know, but darling, I don't know what kind of people they are. He's been coming home later and later. Tonight he crashed through at midnight, almost as if he'd been running. He grabbed a bag of things and left saying that he'd be gone for a day or two."

"So maybe he's just staying at someone's house," Padmé offered, but she knew it was a lame excuse.

"That's... not all," Obi-Wan said reluctantly.

"What do you mean? What else is there?"

"I think... I think he had a gun," Obi-Wan said softly, afraid to even admit it. He'd seen the flash of metal. The last time he'd seen something like that had been... his hand started to shake as he remembered the gun that had killed his father. The events replayed before his eyes, sending him a million miles away from her as he relived it all. The loud sound of the gun firing, holding his father in his arms, watching them take his body away.

Padmé gently took the cup from his hand before he spilled it's contents and placed it on the table. Then, she took his hands in hers and kissed across his knuckles.

"Come back to me," she murmured.

He blinked, feeling a tear slide down his cheek. "I'm not cut out for this," he said sadly. "I'm not... I'm not dad. I could never replace him. He would know what to do. I can barely keep myself together, let alone trying to keep Anakin together if he'd even let me."

"No one's asking you to be your father," she said gently as she wiped the tear from his cheek.

"But that's what he needs," Obi-Wan said emphatically.

"I know..." she trailed off, trying to find the best way to phrase what she was about to say, "I know you feel like you have to keep your family together. I know you feel like you have to step up and be that father figure to Anakin, but you can't be anything other than what you are, Obi-Wan. You're his brother. You're trying your best to be that. It isn't your fault that he doesn't let you in."

"I feel like a failure," he admitted.

"You are not a failure," she said adamantly, taking his face in her hands to make him look at her. "You are doing your best."

"But what if my best isn't good enough?" he asked softly.

Padmé smiled sadly at him. "You can't save everyone, especially from themselves."

"He's my brother, Padmé. I can't give up on him."

"I know. But, you have to take care of yourself, too," she murmured, caressing his cheek. "Now, come on. You should sleep. It's late and we both have things to do tomorrow."

Obi-Wan nodded and moved to go towards the door, but Padmé took his hand to stop him.

"Stay here tonight," she told him. "Please. I don't want you to be alone tonight."

She placed her hand on his chest above his heart, looking at it as she felt his steady heartbeat under her hand. "I know what we've talked about. I know it's hard for you right now, but, please," she begged, flicking her eyes up to his, "let me love you. If only for tonight."

Obi-Wan's heart pounded in his chest. "Darling, I..."

Her thumb ran across the back of his hand and he closed his eyes, letting out a ragged breath. He swallowed a lump in his throat before he answered her. "Only for tonight."

He opened his eyes to take her in, his hands itching to touch her.