Jedi

They stood in the empty street outside of the cantina.

"I should go," he said sadly, as he turned to leave.

Lydia grabbed his hand. "No, you don't need to be alone right now. Ben, stay with me, please."

"No, the townspeople will talk. They are already probably talking, Lydia. I couldn't do that to you." He said as he let go of her hand and walked toward Aya, who was tethered outside of her shop.

"Then, I'm coming with you." She said in determination, as she marched behind him. "I don't care what everyone thinks."

She had a look in her eyes that said there was no talking her out of it, and she would just follow him if he told her no.

He sighed deeply. "Alright."

#

Obi Wan smiled down at the woman who had relaxed against him as they rode across the moonlit drenched sands. In a way, he was glad she had stood her ground. She was right, he could use the company. He had never been this alone for this length of time before, although Qui Gon was right. The Force was always with him.

'Yet, sometimes you just need the companionship from another,' he thought.

He tightened his grip around her waist, supporting her, as her head rolled onto his shoulder as her eyes drifted shut. He steered the eopie toward her homestead, which was closer to Anchorhead than his small hut out in the Jungland Wastes.

#

When she woke, she found herself sitting curled up in her chair with a light blanket over her. A fire was going in the old fireplace warming up the room. She heard dishes clattering in the kitchen.

Ben.

Wrapping the blanket around her shoulders, she stood and ventured into the kitchen to find him busy making tea.

"Do you need help?" She asked softly.

Obi Wan smiled as he set the mugs down on the counter. "Oh, no, my darling. If there was one thing I learned how to do over the years, it was make tea."

My darling? She blushed deeply at the endearment. "I could make us some dinner at least." She busied herself by setting out the leftover stew from the other night and bread to warm up.

They ate quietly. He seemed to have returned to his calm collected self by the time they had rode out to her homestead. As she was loading the dishes into the sonic dishwasher, she debated on how much she should press him for answers. Especially involving this Lord Vader. She had never even heard the name before tonight. Although, it was apparent that he had heard it before judging by his reaction.

She looked through the pass through window at him, sitting quietly reading another one of her father's books. She poured them both a fresh cup of tea. Handing him one of the steaming cups, she curled up on the sofa beside him.

Obi Wan glanced down at her before sitting his mug down on the side table, taking care that the hot liquid did not splash onto the precious book at his elbow. "I suppose you have questions."

She took a careful sip from the hot tea, then set it aside. "Yes, I do. Ben, who is Vader? It was as if you saw a ghost when the holonews caster said his name."

He closed his eyes, took a calming breath, and looked inward. Qui Gon had been surprisingly silent since this afternoon.

'It would appear that I'm on my own for this one. Hopefully, I will make the right decision. Many lives are at stake if I make the wrong one,' he thought dismally.

"How much do you know about the Jedi, Lydia?" He asked softly.

She frowned as she glanced at the book sitting beside him. "The Jedi? Well, not much really. Stories, mostly... only what I've read from the books my father collected over the years, and stories that he told us when we were younger. My father always said they were peacekeepers. That they served the Force, and then the Republic. I certainly don't believe what I've heard on the holonews, that's for sure. Why do you ask?"

"You've never met a Jedi before?" He turned to face her, sitting slightly sideways on the sofa.

She shook her head, as she smoothed her sky blue skirt over her legs. "No. Although, I remember when I was younger, right before my parents were killed, there was a story going around about a Jedi who came to Mos Espa. That was the year that Anakin Skywalker, Owen Lars' stepbrother, won the Boonta Eve Classic. He was the first human to ever win. My father took Lou and I to see the race that day. We heard that the Jedi took Anakin with him to train at their temple."

"Did you know Anakin?" Obi Wan asked curiously.

"No, I never met him. I knew his mother, Shmi, before she died. She used to come into the shop for supplies after she married Owen's father, Cleigg. Shmi was a sweet woman. She was very proud of her son, with him being a Jedi. Beru told me about when Anakin and his companion came back to find his mother, but Shmi had been taken by the Sand People. She didn't survive. Beru said Anakin was devastated."

Obi Wan nodded. 'Of course. It's fitting that the Force would send me to someone who knew about Anakin,' he thought. He rose and began to pace in front of the fire.

"Ben, what's going on? Why all these questions about the Jedi?"

He stood before the fireplace, with one hand braced against the mantle. He stared into the flames while he ran his fingertips lightly over his bearded chin.

"I heard before I left Coruscant that the Emperor was employing a new commander to hunt down the remaining Jedi." It was as close to the truth as he dared get. He hated lying to her, but could see no other way around it. "Rumors mostly, though the news on the holovids seemed to confirm that the Empire had labeled the Jedi as traitors and have been actively eliminating them." He said quietly.

"Yes, I've heard that too. But, there hasn't been any Jedi on Tatooine in a long time, Ben. What does this have to do with Vader?" She had goosebumps mentioning the name. She sipped her tea, trying to warm herself.

"I heard that he was the one tasked with hunting them down."

She glanced back at the book sitting on the arm of the sofa, then back to him, standing silently before the fire. Revelation coursed through her body like shock waves.

'He showed up here right after the war ended, alone. His family from Coruscant are all dead. He tenses up whenever the War is mentioned. He said he was an officer for the Republic during the War. Now, his fear at the mention of the person tasked with hunting Jedi. Of course, it makes sense,' she thought.

"You're a Jedi. Aren't you, Ben?" she whispered.

Obi Wan closed his eyes in sorrow, and lowered his head. He nodded numbly. "You are very clever, my darling."

"Is Ben your real name?" She asked quietly.

"No, but it is one that I have gone by multiple times in the past. It's safer for you to not know the name I used before. It's better this way." He pulled his eyes away from the fire. His eyes burned with an intensity as they landed on her. He knelt in front of her and pulled her hands into his own. "Do you understand the danger I'm putting you in? Just by my being here? I should leave and never come back. I don't want anything to happen to you because of me."

"Yes, I understand." She said softly.

Obi Wan closed his eyes before bringing her hands to his lips. He brushed his lips across her knuckles. "No, my darling, I think you do not." He said gently. "You should forget you ever met me."

"Ben, don't say that. Please," she whispered. "I..." She let her voice trail off. 'I've only just found you,' she thought. "I couldn't do that."

She held his face between her hands, and gently ran her fingers along his bearded jawline. She leaned forward, bringing her face closer to his. She heard the fire crackle as she felt his fingers brush her hair back from her face. Her heart beat faster as he ran his thumb over her lips.

He rose and sat on the sofa next to her. He pulled her close as his lips found hers. She moaned softly against his lips as he deepened the kiss. Obi Wan's lips trailed down her neck as his hand tilted her head back. She ran her hands through his auburn hair as her heart beat faster. His fingers found the belt around her waist and deftly unbuckled it. Lydia's dark blue shirt fell open, revealing her soft white undershirt. His lips found hers again as he ran his hands under the blue shirt and up her back. His lips trailed back down her neck as he pushed the shirt off of her shoulders. It landed on the sofa behind her in a pool of dark blue.

"Lydia? Are you certain?" He asked breathlessly. His heart was beating a loud tattoo in his ears as his lips hovered over hers.

She whispered a faint 'yes,' as her lips touched his.

#

Sunlight filtered in hazily through the curtained windows of Lydia's bedroom. Obi Wan watched the woman beside him sleep.

'What am I thinking? Putting her in danger like this? She has no idea what's coming.' He thought as he pulled her closer to him. 'It's selfish of me. After last night, it will break her heart when I have to stop seeing her.'

She sighed softly in her sleep as he nestled closer to her, wrapping his arms around her. He kissed her bare shoulder before rising. He dressed quietly, careful not to wake her. He padded softly into the darkened common room. He knelt on the soft rug and began his morning meditation.

He walked through a lush garden filled with white calla lilies. Blue butterflies hovered in the air. The air was sweet here, and the breeze was cool and refreshing. He let his fingers trail over the tops of the lilies as he walked toward the faint blue outline of a man standing in the distance.

Qui Gon.

"Master, where are we?" Obi Wan asked as he drew near.

"Wherever you wish it to be, my padawan." Qui Gon said as he turned to face him.

"Master. Anakin lives. Rather, Vader is alive." Obi Wan reached out to one of the butterflies, which landed on his hand.

"Yes, I know." Qui Gon said, sadly.

"You knew? All this time?" The butterfly fluttered away suddenly. Obi Wan closed his hand. "I thought he had died from the wounds I inflicted upon him, and you knew he was alive?"

Qui Gon looked out over the garden. "It's peaceful here, my padawan. This will be a good place for you to begin your lessons in earnest."

Obi Wan sighed as he nodded. He was silent as he listened to the wind blowing through the garden of lilies.

"The boy you trained is gone, Obi Wan. Although, there is a small part of him that remains… imprisoned by Vader." Qui Gon said finally.

"But, Master, I have made a grave error in judgement. I brought the child here to be raised by Anakin's family. I have placed the child in grave danger." Obi Wan felt his fear rising. He noticed the blue sky overhead was darkening.

"Rest easy, my padawan. Vader would not venture here. There are too many memories of Anakin's on Tatooine. He wouldn't risk Anakin growing stronger. The child will be safe here. I have foreseen it." Qui Gon looked up at the darkening sky. "Calm your emotions. Remember, you need to let go."

"Master, there is something else…" Obi Wan breathed in deeply, pulling the breath into his center. He felt calmer. The blue sky lightened.

"The woman." Qui Gon smiled. "I've always thought love doesn't lead to the dark side, Obi Wan. Passion can lead to fear, and at times rage, but it can be controlled. Yet, passion is not the same thing as love, is it? It is natural to fall in love. How to control your passions while being in love was something that I argued should be taught to padawans. You learned this lesson on your own with Satine."

Obi Wan nodded. "But I chose to stay with the Order."

"The Order is no more, Obi Wan. That time is over. Remember, you must remain present."