A/N: I'm back with a new story! I hope you guys enjoy it. I'll try to update at least every two weeks. (I'm back to work full time). Please know that reviews make me very happy!

Prologue

Just A Feeling

Obi-Wan Kenobi sat silently and he listened. He couldn't deny it was logical, but somehow, it felt so terribly wrong. There was no way he could possibly explain it. It was not a vision; it was not a dream or even a voice from the Force. It was not even a thought. It was merely a sensation; as if he had a hand inside his chest squeezing at his heart.

Be he kept listening and, for some reason, he felt incapable of opening his mouth to utter a single word, completely at a loss as how to explain this feeling; this invisible fist draining the life out of his heart; stopping his very blood from pumping.

And as he heard he closed his eyes; he felt a headache coming.

He ran his hand through his beard out of habit; he always did it when he was nervous. And he had never felt as uneasy as he did in that very moment.

Master Mundi sighed before he spoke. The blue hologram that displayed his troubled features flickered. "Perhaps if we accept this nomination Skywalker could inform us about the Chancellor's dealings."

Yoda sighed and hummed, yet remained wordless.

"I don't really like the idea of those two together. But I believe we have no other choice if we want to know what the Chancellor is planning." Mace Windu's authoritative voice echoed throughout the room. It made Obi-Wan cringe, adding to his discomfort. The distrust he had toward Anakin was a tough pill to swallow, especially when his feelings were completely opposite.

Maybe that's why his old Padawan didn't trust the Council, he thought bitterly as he felt his heart tighten further and his head ache harder.

That is why he knew this was not right. None of this was right. He didn't know why or how. But it was not right!

"Dangerous, this is." Yoda offered, his voice pained and filled with sorrow.

Master Windu scoffed. "They're both dangerous! It could be a disastrous combination; but it is a risk we have to take."

Obi-Wan winced. Anakin? Dangerous? The best Knight the Jedi Order had seen in centuries? Perhaps in the entirety of their history? It was absurd! Anakin had been with the Order for thirteen years and he had certainly become the best Jedi Knight they had; strong, intelligent, skilled and with a brilliant strategic mind. He had won countless battles for the Republic, his methods, although unconventional, were certainly effective. Obi-Wan would never understand the distrust. It was not Anakin that he didn't trust. It was Palpatine, it was Coruscant.

"What is dangerous is for this mission to be on record. The Chancellor has been increasingly meddling in Jedi affairs." Plo Koon's voice spoke and Obi-Wan gazed about the room. All the Masters nodded their agreement and yet he remained still and quiet.

How would he tell them? How would he explain that he could not allow this? How would he voice that all of his being, that every cell in his body ached every time he thought of Anakin being in the presence of the Chancellor? How would he say that his heart almost felt like it would stop at the mere idea of it?

Obi-Wan Kenobi sighed and could not stop the urge to stand from his seat; it was as if he could not sit in that place anymore. He felt an overwhelming impulse to leave; to run far away and never return! Leave everything behind taking only Anakin with him. But he knew he was needed there.

This feeling that something terrible was going to happen would not abandon him; it was sucking the air out of his lungs and draining his veins from blood.

But instead of going he settled on standing at the window and gazed upon the city that stretched before him. The sun shone brightly and the city buzzed with life. It was as if no one had noticed that, only the previous day, a battle had occurred just above the planet. It was astonishing, really; that a place so filled with sentient life could be so utterly oblivious to everything that happened around them.

And Obi-Wan had another feeling, a sensation that he would never look at this city like this again; not that he would never see it, but that it would change. That everything would change. And not for the better.

The Jedi Master closed his eyes but, despite not seeing, he could feel the other Council members' stare burning the back of his head. It was not common for Obi-Wan Kenobi to lose his composure, but he was losing it now. He could hardly avoid it. It was just too much; all that he felt was just so heart wrenching.

His headache began worsening; he rubbed at his forehead, willing it to stop. It was of no use.

"Perhaps you, Master Kenobi, should inform Skywalker of his new mission; off the record of course." Master Windu said, making Obi-Wan open his eyes and look at the Masters that sat around that room where he had been so many times; a room he knew ever since he was nothing but a little boy.

They all stared at him, waiting for him to say something; anything. Suddenly Obi-Wan felt his cheeks burning and his heart beating faster. He thought of what to say; of how to explain what was that he was feeling; there was something burning inside of him.

What he could not say. But there was.

"No." He answered simply, perhaps somewhat more sharply than he intended, but it could hardly be helped. "We must not accept this nomination. The Council selects its own members and he isn't even a Jedi Master. And," he paused, taking a deep breath, "I will certainly not ask Anakin to commit treason."

The High Council became silenced by the uncharacteristic outburst of the usually calm a collected Jedi Master.

"Actually, we must send him away. He cannot stay on Coruscant." Obi-Wan straightened his back as he said it. It felt like the right thing to say, for some reason.

Master Windu's permanent frown deepened. "Send him away? We need him here more than ever."

"Curious, Master. Just a minute ago you said you didn't trust him." Obi-Wan couldn't stop a frown. "And now you need him?"

Mace opened his mouth to protest, but was interrupted. "Enough!" Said Yoda, his tone was unusually hard. "Explain your reasoning, you must, Master Kenobi."

Obi-Wan faced the city once more and exhaled the breath he did not know was caught in his throat. "I can't explain it, Master. But the Force… I feel a disturbance in the Force. He cannot stay here. I had no vision or premonition, but I just know. If he stays something terrible will happen. I don't know what, but something that cannot be fixed."

He turned to the old Master once more and watched as he nodded, closing his eyes softly. Something that looked like relief crossed his features. "Agree with you, I do."

"Master Yoda, with all due respect, he is the closest person to the Chancellor. We cannot afford to have him off planet now!" Windu protested but Yoda was unrelenting.

"Our guide, the Force is. Follow its will we must." Obi-Wan was now sure that the old Master shared his feeling; or at least was apprehensive about the duplicitous plan.

The other Masters nodded their agreement; easily changing their minds. Windu slumped slightly into his chair but took his defeat in stride.

Suddenly, Obi-Wan felt slightly better; not entirely, but a wave of relief washed over him. He moved away from the window and took his seat once more. "He will not leave without a mission."

"Help his former Padawan capture the Sith on Mandalore, he must. Interrogate him, he will."

Obi-Wan sighed. It was apt encouragement; he was sure Anakin would not object to capture a Sith Lord and help Ahsoka. He knew he missed his former Padawan. Even Obi-Wan missed her; she certainly knew how to brighten a gloomy room. Anakin had changed after her departure; became more serious. His sense of humor, crude as it had ever been, had dampened. He was sadder.

"Perhaps, though, this mission should be maintained off the record as well; if there is a reason to have Skywalker leave the planet maintaining his location a secret should also be advisable." Plo-Koon suggested and Obi-Wan agreed wholeheartedly. The less people knew where Anakin was, the safer he would be.

He was in danger. He didn't know from what, but he was. His former Padawan had been in perilous situations many times before. This time, however, it was different. Something dark loomed over the young man, he knew it; he could see it every time he set his eyes on him. It followed him around; clinging on to him, setting a target on Anakin's back. Especially since they had returned to Coruscant, after that dreadful battle in the Invisible Hand.

And Obi-Wan Kenobi knew, at that moment, that there was nothing he would not do to keep Anakin safe; there was nothing he would not sacrifice. He knew it wasn't right; but the boy was the closest thing to a son that he would ever have and he felt fiercely protective of him.

Anakin was summoned to the Council Chamber. He stood before them, his head hung slightly lowered and Obi-Wan could clearly discern the dark circles under his eyes. He hadn't been sleeping. That was not a good sign; was he having those dreadful nightmares again?

Obi-Wan shuddered at the thought; be he knew he was. The slightly haunted look in his eyes said everything. He knew him far too well to miss it. He felt like standing from his chair and stroke his shoulder, ask him what was wrong, help him. But he knew Anakin's trust in him had been shaken after Ahsoka's expulsion from the Jedi Order.

What a stupid mistake they had made.

Anakin's gaze lifted as Master Windu's voice began. "We will not allow your appointment to this Council, for you do not yet have the rank of Master."

Skywalker's eyes widened and a flash of anger clearly crossed his features. "But isn't the Chancellor free to choose whoever he wants?"

Yoda made a sound that could hardly be described. "Not a Jedi, the Chancellor is. Dismissed you are, young Skywalker."

Obi-Wan could see him clench his jaw before he brusquely turned and headed towards the door, his cloak bellowed behind him. He looked at the Grandmaster who offered him a nod, silently allowing him to follow his old Padawan.

The Jedi Master ran out of the room and closed the door behind him. He could see Anakin hurriedly walking down the corridor and a gloved hand run across his hair. He knew he did that when something troubled him.

"Anakin!" He called after him and the Jedi stopped on his tracks. He looked back at his Master. The anger on his features was more than evident and, for a moment, it echoed through the Force and across their bond, making Obi-Wan flinch slightly. There was also so much distress and helplessness mixed into it. Anakin had been trying to hide it, but in a moment of distraction he showed it to him.

There was something very wrong with him. "Anakin," he repeated as he reached his Padawan, "are you alright?"

Anakin frowned. "Yes." A blatant lie, Obi-Wan knew. But he ignored it, for now. They began walking slowly across the hallway and settled in front of a large window that allowed a magnificent view of the cityscape. They both watched it for a moment and Obi-Wan could feel Anakin's feelings bubbling within him. The boy had always felt so much. He was no ordinary Jedi; Obi-Wan felt a pang of regret and thought that maybe he should have been a better Master. He had never acknowledged those feelings and instead tried to encourage him to suppress them. He knew now that it was the wrong approach. Qui-Gon would have surely done so much better.

"I don't understand." Anakin broke the silence. "I don't know what they want from me. What more can I do? They don't trust me. They never have. I don't know what I can do to earn it; for them to make me a Master."

Obi-Wan wondered why he desired the rank so much. He was so young, barely even an adult. But on the other hand he knew he probably deserved it.

"You're different." Obi-Wan answered truthfully. "You feel things in a way none of us do. That scares them. They believe you aren't mature enough."

Anakin glared at his Master; Obi-Wan was used to it, so he ignored it. "But I trust you. I trust you unconditionally Anakin. I need you to know that."

Skywalker's features softened and he looked at the city again. Something was troubling him deeply and Obi-Wan could almost see his mind struggling, despite Anakin's dire efforts to hide it.

Obi-Wan sighed. "I have a mission for you." Anakin looked at him. "You must go to Mandalore and assist Ahsoka in capturing the Sith. Then you will interrogate him and find out what he knows."

He couldn't hide the panic that assaulted him. "What? No! I can't leave! I'm not going!"

"You must, Anakin!"

"There are things I must do here! I can't go! Please, don't make me go, Master." He was almost crying; Obi-Wan saw his eyes gloss over with unshed tears.

The Master sighed. "Anakin, do you trust me?"

Obi-Wan couldn't deny the pain when he hesitated. But it didn't matter. He could not stay. Anakin looked at him and he stopped for a moment. "Yes, but…"

"I feel a disturbance in the Force. And it is telling me that you are in grave danger if you stay. You have to go, Anakin. Please! I beg you! If you didn't trust me before, trust me now." Obi-Wan pleaded, hoping that, for once, he would listen to him.

Anakin had always been exceedingly stubborn. His tenacity often did him well, but now, it would possibly doom him. When he didn't answer Obi-Wan continued. "Anakin, I love you. You're my brother; almost my son. And the Force is telling me that you must go! It is telling me that if you stay something horrible will happen to you, to all of us."

"You love me?" His tone was heartbreaking and Obi-Wan wondered why he had never told him sooner. And the fact that, out of everything he said, that was the part that he retained almost made him smile. He would have, if he didn't feel so incredibly troubled. Obi-Wan put a hand on his Padawan's back. "Master, I've been having dreams again. But if I tell you, you'll tell the Council and they'll just expel me."

"What if I promise to keep your secret?"

Anakin observed him for a moment and he sighed but said nothing. Obi-Wan thought he needed more encouragement. "Is this about Padmé?"

The young man managed a smile and nodded. "We're married. We're having a baby." And then the smile disappeared and was replaced by a deeply pained look. "I've been dreaming that she's dying in childbirth. I need to find a way to save her."

Obi-Wan was able to hide the surprise from his face. He had known for some time that they were together. But married and expecting a child? Anakin truly knew no boundaries. But this was not the time for reproach. "How can you save her if you don't save yourself?"

Anakin chuckled but it quickly faded. "I don't know what to do. I feel so helpless. I can't let these dreams come true. I can't lose her."

"I'll take care of her and your child. But you must go."

"You promise?" His apprentice asked, and suddenly he looked like a little boy again.

"I promise." Anakin hugged him; he hadn't done it in so long. When he was younger and one of them felt miserable for whatever reason, he always did that and it had made Obi-Wan feel incredibly uncomfortable. But this time there was no discomfort. This time he didn't want to let go; so he embraced his brother back as if it was the last time.

"Thank you." Anakin whispered in his ear before it was time for them to part.

He watched as his Padawan turned to leave. "Anakin. Whatever happens here, don't come back."

The young man nodded. "May the Force be with you, Master."

"May the Force be with you, Anakin."