A/N: There's a call back to the events in Chapter 10, if you guys are curious, and it seemed like a very natural thing for Anakin to do. I had a lot of fun writing the last part of this chapter. *Evil laugh*

Please enjoy!

Chapter 14

Nevah

Skywalker Farm

Warm and welcoming, the lone sun that orbited the isolated planet of Nevah crept over the horizon, spilling a soft, golden sheen across the grassy plains. The crisp, cool evening breeze lifting and melting under the coercive heat of the rising star.

Standing outside, just beyond the edge of Skywalker farm, stood Padmé Skywalker, her arms wrapped in a thick blanket as she watched, accompanied by her two faithful droids. Her loyal companions flanking her on each side, droids formerly known as C3PO and R2D2, as they brilliantly shined in their rich red and vibrant purple paint that became more distinguished in the expanding rays of light. For just a moment, Padmé closed her eyes, enjoying as the rays of sunlight warmed her face before she opened them again. In front of her sat Obi Wan's shuttle, the perpetrator used to trespass and forever disrupt their peaceful existence. Although, to be fair, she doubted even Obi Wan knew things would end up the way they did. Perhaps that's why she stood there, to help her grasp what was happening with her own eyes. Tucking her blanket closer to her body more for comfort than warmth, she waited patiently as she observed the two men gradually ascend the ramp.

At first, she wasn't sure if she could handle being out here and personally see him off, but now with the shuttle in front of her, she knew she needed to do this. Once more, there was a comfortable experience in the role that she quickly returned to with this action. Her desires were torn and she hoped she had made the right choice by letting him go. Intellectually, she knew he had to do this to find peace within himself but it didn't stop her poor heart from aching. Not ready to move, her feet remained stubbornly planted in place until he was out of her sight. Though it could be perceived that way, it wasn't because she hoped he would change his mind but more that it was an act of support, a sense of reassurance, that she'll be there waiting for his return. So as she remained in place, she smiled warmly and lovingly as a firm foundation she has always been and will be for him.

Inside the small lambda class shuttle, two men dressed in Jedi robes hastily made their way through the small vessel. Ignoring the sparsely decorated interior, they wasted no time reaching the awaiting cockpit as they swiftly proceeded in silence. Both knew it wasn't a leisure trip with a long journey ahead, in more ways than one, and this subconsciously implored the two to make haste staying ahead of any doubts and fears that trailed attentively behind them.

Habit took over as Anakin swiftly headed with long, confident strides immediately towards the cockpit and directly into the pilot's seat, his mind turning over too many thoughts to manage cohesively. A commonly used ship during the Empire's reign, Anakin had flown and repaired many of these lambda class shuttles and was no stranger to its interior. Distracted, his mind's eye pulled up pictures of the ship's schematics and steering abilities, reacquainting himself with its controls. So focused on this, Anakin didn't notice the surprised look on Obi Wan's face and before he could object to the young man in his seat, Anakin had figured out the controls and powered it up. Flipping through the shuttle's manifest, the hair on Anakin's arms stood up in sudden awareness, freezing as he stared at the title. Only then did it finally dawned on him that he wasn't on just another repair job but on someone else's ship and the owner was standing right next to him. Embarrassment written all over his face, Anakin whipped his head around, turning with wide, abashed eyes as he faced Obi Wan.

Back inside the living room, the Jedi had patiently waited by himself on the worn couch and once Anakin emerged, the young father's face composed and unreadable, the Jedi knew that the Chosen One was ready to leave. If the dangling lightsaber on his side and the small backpack wasn't enough of an indication, then Anakin, adorned with his former Jedi attire, made it very clear. If Obi Wan was shocked or had any opinion about Anakin's shorter hair or clean shaven face, it was well hidden on Obi Wan's stoic face, nor did he commented on it. Saving Anakin his dignity, Obi Wan opted to not pursue the details of his family affairs. It wasn't any of his business, and more importantly, how Anakin arrived at this conclusion didn't matter. The details of Anakin's conversations were private and he respected the difficult decision the father and husband had made. There was really nothing to say about that and so they just left.

On the journey through the Skywalker farm, the two men exchanged only a few short comments utilizing one or two simple phrases. Walking side by side, Obi Wan strode next to Anakin, who had his hand in his wife's, as she followed alongside them, the silent rolling and shifting of the droids trailing behind them.

Once at the edge of the farm, Obi Wan marched ahead and punched in the code to engage the ramp. When it was completely down, the ramp making a soft thud on the grassy terrain, he allowed the younger man to venture in first as a sign of appreciation and respect for what he just did. After the young couple said their goodbyes, with Obi Wan looking away courteously, what happened next caught Obi Wan off guard. Slightly offended, he didn't expect Anakin to unceremoniously dump himself down into the pilot's chair.

His pilot's seat.

Agitation came swiftly as the noticeable frown on Obi Wan's face flicked momentarily with the irritation that he couldn't control. It was reflexive and protective and even he wasn't immune to feeling territorial. Understanding the act wasn't intentionally offensive, his rational mind caught up too slowly, and it was too late. Regretfully, his former Padawan didn't miss the expression of judgment at his innocent action.

Not for the first time, Obi Wan watched in shame as Anakin's face distorted exactly like the Padawan he once was, again being scolded or a disappointment to his Master. Now it took on more significance as Obi Wan realized how deeply those things had affected him and he didn't want history to repeat itself. Still not sure what Anakin needed on such a fundamental level, he knew enough not to fall back into the routine that left Anakin so profoundly scarred in the first place. This left him speechless as he stood there.

"S...sorry. I didn't..." Anakin said, faltering uneasily as he watched the disapproving face on Obi Wan and he backtracked some more. Not only was Anakin slightly embarrassed by his assumption but the look on Obi Wan's face made everything worse as the awkward tension between them seemed only to build more and more. Needless to say, Anakin couldn't help thinking to himself that this was not a great way to restart things.

"I'll just get up." He decided as he attempted to stand but was stopped by a warm and friendly hand on his shoulder.

The older man's face returning to a calm, welcoming appearance. "You're fine. You were always a better pilot than I was." He offered with a wavering voice, the strained complement that was sincere, yet his overall discomfort from his uncertainty couldn't be masked entirely.

Uncomfortable with the situation, Anakin considered him tentatively, deciding whether or not to believe him and then if he would respond to the statement. Even though he agreed, in his mind, that he was a much more proficient pilot, it didn't seem right to recognize it, and even thanking him seemed wrong. When all the options seemed insufficient, the father of twins merely nodded his head in acceptance before he swiveled the seat back around.

Returning his attention to the console in front of him, Anakin went through the initial prompts at startup then paused, the shuttle's name catching his eye. He quirked an eyebrow, curiosity too strong to ignore, causing him to turn to the older man.

Across the cockpit, with the issue settled, Obi Wan had slowly lowered himself into the copilot seat, a small groan escaping his lips, the exhaustion from the night's endeavors manifesting in his slow movements, utterly oblivious to the puzzlement on Anakin's face.

Anakin hesitated for a second, torn between his growing inquisitiveness and simultaneously not wanting to confirm his suspicions, and he found himself softly speaking, "Nothing? You named your ship, Nothing?" He asked, waiting for Obi Wan to respond.

The word seemed to float languishing through the cockpit like transversing through some thick gelatinous substance taking its time to slowly reach Obi Wan's ears. At first, he didn't respond. He had named the vessel a long time ago and forgotten about it. Even when landing at docking bays, the name and the ship seemed to be intertwined together, the name losing its original meaning and easily spilled from his lips. Remembering this, it took him a moment to realize how Anakin would perceive it.

There was a soberness about Obi Wan, not really feeling the need to justify himself, yet still not looking into Anakin's awaiting face. He tucked his arms into his robes in a gesture of comfort, frowning as he sifted through his thoughts. Finally, after deciding how best to respond, he looked forward through the viewport, memories of when he first settled on the name filled his mind. In a matter of fact tone, he simply repeated his reasoning to Anakin. "We were nothing before the Force created us and we return to nothing once we rejoin the Force." The stillness surrounding Obi Wan indicated that he would offer no more explanation.

Blinking in bewilderment, Anakin couldn't help but stare at him appalled, a mixture of confusion, concern, and troubled feelings flowed through him. The indifferent bearded Obi Wan sitting there stoically consumed Anakin with a reluctance to pursue it further or even try to lighten things up with a joke, and he felt a pit in his stomach grow. This was going to be an incredibly long trip.

Keeping his thoughts to himself, Anakin naturally flicked his bangs out of his face, the old habit returning when he was frustrated. Drawing back to the control panel, going through the various prompts with practiced ease of a well seasoned pilot until he reached a red warning box. Curiously, he tilted his head as he opened the prompt and read through it.

The furrow between his eyebrows grew deeper and more concerning as Anakin read. "Something wrong with your compressor?" The expert mechanic asked as he tapped through the various diagrams of the ship's manifest.

Realization promptly woke Obi Wan out of his stupor, pulling him out of his reflections, panic filled his mind as he immediately faced Anakin and stated, "Oh." He started, as a blush formed under his greying beard. "It's nothing. The sensor is broken. It's quite alright and the alarm will go off after a bit of time." Embarrassed about THAT ongoing issue that still wasn't fixed, Obi Wan attempted to brush Anakin away as he moved obstinately to get up and cancel the prompt.

"That's not what it says here." Anakin frowned, not buying into it, the prompt noted it was a critical issue. Not believing Obi Wan, he stood up abruptly, making his way out of the cockpit, giving Obi Wan a doubtful expression as he left.

Obi Wan's hardheadedness returned and resentment was written all over his face. He rolled his eyes exasperatedly. "We really should get going!" Irritation rising when there was no response, the expert mechanic well down the hallway, no doubt working on something he wasn't given permission to do. Invariably, Obi Wan's pride overtook him not yet willing to accept the help he desperately needed to fix the ongoing issue that only worsened after leaving Lah'mu. He huffed in annoyance, refusing to get up to assist.

After several minutes, with the hallway echoing from the sound of bolts being loosened and metal panels vibrating as they were tossed around, Obi Wan tapped his foot impatiently as he sat there. When he finally spoke up, he spatted out. "I've been flying fine without any problems. This really isn't..." Obi Wan didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as his disbelieving eyes caught the last blink of the alarm on the control panel. Craning his neck over dubiously to get a better look, the alarming red screen switched to the all clear sign of green, the compressor status cycled from critical to stable. His jaw dropped. "No..."

At that exact moment, Anakin sauntered back in carelessly, taking a moment to wipe his greased hands down his trousers before sitting down in the pilot's chair again.

"Wh…what did you do?" Obi Wan questioned more from a wounded pride than anything else.

"Hrm?" The mechanic remarked indifferently, all thoughts about the repair gone with his attention back to getting the ship ready to launch. "Oh, the power flux coupling on the negative axis was polarized. Eventually, you're going to need to replace it but I figured something out. The cooling unit burnt out and the power converter was upside down but I was able to redirect the flow through the auxiliary turbines. It'll work now." Tossing a flippant hand through the air, he waved off the complex issue like it was a matter of just flipping a switch to turn a light on.

Will wonders never cease?

Shock flooded Obi Wan as he stood there, jaw agape immodestly from a mixture of his wounded pride, with his ability in question, having labored so long unsuccessfully, intermixed with amazement by the speed and deftness Anakin displayed. In awe of the moment, he found himself with gratitude for the young man's presence once again.

Rendered speechless presently, Obi Wan opted to modestly settle into the copilot seat as he watched Anakin busy himself with preparations for their departure. As he watched the usual sight in front of him, a part of him couldn't believe this was real. A lucid dream was possible; a part of him was waiting to wake up in some random medical bay after his shuttle went adrift and be told he was suffering from space sickness or just wake up alone on his ship after dosing off at the controls, again. Was this really happening? Not the Sith Lord he dreaded, but instead a broken, deeply pained but not evil man that he knew he had played a considerable role in his demise. Even more surprising, that Anakin, after everything, would willingly board his shuttle and return to fight again despite the overwhelming odds against him and the Rebellion's cause.

A self conscious twitch tugged at the corner of his mouth as Obi Wan realized that Anakin caught him gawking foolishly, and Obi Wan averted his eyes as he pretended to focus on something on his own co-pilot controls. Trust the Force. Obi Wan reminded himself. This was its will. There was no other explanation and having devoted his life to the will of the Force, there was no reason to stop now. Somewhere in the ether of the Cosmic Force, he could almost hear Qui Gon's mocking voice.

It was painfully obvious, Obi Wan realized the irony of the situation. The Jedi tenants were barely applicable to this situation. If anything, it demanded that their arch enemy, the Sith, was beyond forgiveness and to be exterminated swiftly. But the idea of someone walking away from that and stepping back into the light? That was unheard of-or at least so rare that very few Jedi would trust such a being. Echos of Master Yoda's words repeatedly hammered into the Jedi, almost the first words a new initiate would hear, as if mandatory with passage through the entryway into the Temple, as the saying would go - once started down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny. Another long held Jedi belief that was mistaken.

He chanced another peek, more sneaky this time, at the family man next to him. On the other hand, he would be lying to himself if he didn't have some reservations about the darkness lingering in the young man next to him but, from what the elder Jedi gathered, he was far from the clutches of the Dark Side- at least for now. All his reflective observations stopped abruptly, his thoughts broke as the shuttle rumbled awake.

With a preoccupied voice, the pilot called out from beside him, while concentrated on his task, Anakin toggled through the final steps with the ship purring in response. "Ignition cycle commenced. Primary systems online. Ready for take off?" Anakin turned to the Jedi next to him, a calm, anticipating face paused for confirmation.

Obi Wan nodded as he double checked that his co-pilot assignments glowed a bright green. "Secondary flight systems confirmed. All systems ready."

"Then let's take off." The pilot acknowledged, pressing through a series of commands.

A steady roaring hum shook the cockpit's floor as the shuttle ascended upward into the air, more smoothly than Obi Wan had felt in some time. The floor thundered as the landing gears retracted and locked themselves inside the vessel. As the ground grew farther away, he turned his attention back to his former Padawan, watching as Anakin pressed a hand against the transparisteel viewport, a silent goodbye to Padmé watching them from below as they took off. Her eyes never leaving Anakin's. His heart beckoned him and Obi Wan felt compelled to say something. A part of it was, selfishly, to quell the guilt stirring in him from taking Anakin away from his family but also as a caring friend, he wanted to give words of support to him.

"You'll see her again," Obi Wan offered meekly. He never liked to give false promises but he had made a promise to Padmé to bring her husband back so this was a suitable gesture in line with his previous assurance. Truthfully, he had no idea how capable he really was to honoring that but it was a commitment he had hoped to keep as long as the Force will allow it. Did he even have the right to say that? If Anakin didn't make back home could Obi Wan even live with himself?

The gesture was supposed to be encouraging and Anakin knew Obi Wan said it with good intentions in mind. Still, there was a lot of lingering doubt between them and Anakin didn't wholly trust Obi Wan just yet. With a slight smile in appreciation, Anakin chose the amicable route, resisting the urge to make a sharp remark that no one, not even Obi Wan can keep him from her. Not caring how the old man would perceive it, his thoughts drifted to his family, his hand instinctively reached for the pendant dangling from his neck and rubbed it absent mindedly. His heart still aching from the difficult conversations that night and Anakin returned his gaze to his beautiful wife below as she quickly became a tiny fleck on the surface. Repeating the promise he made to her, a convicted frown etched on his face as he set his intention. Unlike the gentle encouragement Obi Wan offered, the fire in his blood rose up in determination, and even if it was by his will alone, yes, he will see Padmé again. He will see Padmé and Luke and Leia again, and nothing will stop him.

Purring under Anakin's experienced hands, the shuttle quickly rose up into the morning sky. As they departed from Nevah, the Skywalker farm disappearing as they broke the atmosphere, dropping into the dark, cold abyss of space.

Up till now, everything happened so quickly. The warm morning rays replaced by the blackness of space shook him and he barely caught his breath until now. As the vastness of space unfolded before him, he finally had a moment to reflect, and a creeping thought pervaded his mind that he might be in over his head. It wouldn't be the first time he felt like this and he usually covered it up with overt bravado, unfortunately making everything worse. That's not what he wanted to do this time. Turning a new leaf, facing his past but with a new outlook on life, maybe this time it'll be different. He contemplated this with cautious optimism as he continued rubbing the japor snippet and found it soothing in a surprisingly consistent way. It was a thought he decided to keep tucked away.

A gift originally intended for Padmé, it somehow became something even more meaningful to himself. By touching it, he could almost sense the many times Padmé must have done the same thing and the soothing comfort it had provided her just as it did for him now. In her mind, the snippet took on its own meaning, which Anakin could hardly fathom, but he could clearly understand as he cherished it in his own hands. For Anakin it contained the love of his beautiful wife and children, a reminder to trust in the Force and in good luck, and to honor the ideals of his childhood. Who knew a carved wooden piece created on a whim of a child could take on such significance. He chuckled to himself, closing his eyes as he smiled, thinking of Padmé. He silently thanked her for once again being his guardian angel. Thinking cheekily, the idea amused him even more as he could see her response. A faint blush would color her high cheekbones as she would squint her perfect eyebrows together, chastising him for his dramatics. How he absurdly put her on a pedestal she didn't deserve. Anakin found it all so amusing even when she never really seemed to get it but Anakin was ok with that- she was definitely his angel, whether she believed it or not.

The dark and mysterious backdrop of the galaxy greeted Obi Wan and he felt like he was coming home, having spent more time here than on any planet, and this time with the thrill of reuniting with a long lost friend. It never occurred to Obi Wan to let Anakin stay on Nevah. Their chance meeting was more than a passing by and to walk away from that was never an option. With too much at stake, he couldn't fathom the concept of dismissing Anakin's existence and being at peace, knowing that Anakin was alive and well, not as the Darth Vader he feared. To easily lie to everyone knowing Anakin had found the happiness the young man had always wanted. Such a thing didn't compute in Obi Wan's mind, a being filled with obligation and duty. Inconceivable was the concept of walking away from such important work and the desperate need of the galaxy. He could never ignore the fact that he had found the Chosen One.

So here they were again on the line of duty. The Force gripping them and dragging them into the epic and never ending battle between the light and dark side of the Force. Fearlessly, his former Padawan again by his side, as they continued their sworn duty as defenders of the galaxy.

So caught up in his nostalgia, the joy in his heart at his good fortune, the best case scenario he couldn't fathom had occurred, he turned grateful to the Jedi Knight he once remembered. And then he paused, frowning at the necklace Anakin so delicately and protectively thumbed, forgetting himself at the moment, his mouth moving before his brain caught up, he spoke the unsolicited comments as a Master would to his Padawan. "Jedi do not have attachments." Exhaustion from the last several weeks lost in space, heightened by the events in the previous 24 hours, played its toll on the usually well disciplined person. Obi Wan's mind in a daze and it didn't help that Anakin was dressed in his old Jedi robes. Either way, it was too late and he couldn't take back what he said.

Swiftly, the retribution came as the aging Jedi braced himself. The reaction was instant; a flash of anger crossed the deep blue eyes of the young father with the air palpable by his displeasure. But then, instead of reacting in an outburst as Obi Wan anticipated and expected, the Jedi watched as Anakin thinned his lip, refusing to stop his preoccupation with the japor snippet. If anything, he seemed to focus on it more intently and rubbed it deeper in a move Obi Wan found interesting.

Finally turning to face Obi Wan, as the older man braced for the scolding, Anakin's eyes were self assured with an unusual stead calmness Obi Wan wasn't used to. The father of twins replied, "It's a good thing I'm not a Jedi." His voice firm but understanding.

There it was.

Although it was silently understood between the two, it felt much harsher to hear the damning words out loud and Obi Wan face flushed with the guilt of openly facing the reality behind the words. A proclamation of his failure to his only Padawan and the deep regret he had felt ever since that catastrophic day at the Jedi temple. Feelings of immense shame overtook him, Obi Wan's hands trembled furiously under his broad, open Jedi sleeves, and he was thankful for their wide girth as he clenched his hands and tucked them inside, hidden from view.

Still facing each other, Obi Wan opened his mouth to say something in an attempt to rectify this turn of events. "Anakin..." He started to apologize, not wanting any bad blood between them. Despite what he had said, he was genuinely grateful for Anakin's help and didn't intend to depreciate Anakin's sacrifice.

That chance never came as Anakin dismissively waved a deceptively nonchalant hand in his direction. "I know," he said politely yet guarded, it seemed forgiving enough, yet there was an underlying weight to his words.

Studying his former Padawan's eyes for only a moment, Obi Wan accepted this, turning to face the viewport again and leaned back in his seat. He'll take the tenuous peace no matter how awkward or fragile it was. "Thank you, Anakin." Obi Wan replied. His face was peaceful but in an empty way Obi Wan had grown accustomed to.

Cryptically, Anakin turned back to the controls in front of him, his emotions shielded. "Of course, Master." He said flatly, and the temperature cooled several degrees in the cockpit.

Nothing adrift in place, coasting steadily high beyond Nevah's gravitational pull, as the navigation system flashed insistently, prompted Anakin for a destination. Fingers looming over the aurebesh keyboard, Anakin asked the copilot, "Where are we headed?" As he purposefully avoided further discussions about his pendant.

"To Yavin 4," Obi Wan responded, stroking his beard, a hint of distaste noted in his tone.

Recognizing the dread in his voice and the name unforgettable, Anakin raised a curious yet knowing eyebrow as he asked, "The one in the Gordian Reach? The rebel base is on that jungle planet?"

"Yes," came the appalling confirmation and Anakin blew out a reluctant breath as he punched in the coordinates.

Just like yesterday, Anakin remembered the moon exceptionally well, having to set foot on that planet once as a Padawan with Obi Wan. Setting foot would be a kind overgeneralization as it was more like an unplanned crash encounter. Within the depths of what was supposed to be a straightforward peacekeeping mission, Obi Wan and his teenage Padawan found themselves in a dogfight with a local pirate clan, who ambitiously thought they could take and ransom the Jedi to turn a profit. Heavily equipped, the pirate's ship firepower easily outmatched the smaller shuttle the Jedi were on, but the pirates didn't have the best pilot in the galaxy on their side. Using all the well honed flying skills the young Padawan had at the time, interwoven with a couple pod racing tricks, Anakin ingeniously yet scarcely navigated the heavily damaged vessel safely away through a cluster of asteroids. Pushing the ship to its maximum abilities, the hyperdrive blown and useless, Anakin attempted to land somewhere safe while he made the necessary repairs. Yet even landing seemed difficult as the thrusters no longer obeyed his commands and the Padawan only managed to set on the planet in one piece luckily cushioned by the thick vines that canopied the jungle's tree line-like a natural safety net.

It was too soon to relax and consider themselves safe. In a remote area of Republic space, the moon was uninhabited and so the two were on their own. As Anakin stretched his imagination and creatively dismantled the nonessentials on the ship to make the necessary repairs to the hyperdrive and the life support systems, Obi Wan scouted the area and made sure they were safe while foraging for food and source of fresh water. An otherwise dull mission turned hair raising and the thrill Anakin felt when the pirate ship had first emerged in front of them soon numbed as the days turned into weeks stranded on the hot, humid planet. He distinctly remembered Obi Wan's legendary patience being tested with his complaints more frequent and constant as the weeks wore on.

"The one with the giant bugs with the razor sharp pinchers and five legs?" Anakin asked one more time just to be sure he heard correctly.

Obi Wan frowned sadly. "The same one," his voice heavy and filled with melancholy.

A flash of green interrupted their conversation, with the hyperdrive calculations completed, the screen blinked patiently as a green light awaited to engage. With a couple quick taps, Anakin soon set their course with the unfortunate destination confirmed, the ship growled as the hyperdrive engines powered up. A wry smile played across Anakin's lips, finding the situation ironic and amusing. "Good choice. No one would think to look for you there." He stated dryly.

Bitter laughter rumbled in Obi Wan's throat as he couldn't hold back a chuckle at the inside joke. After they finally made it off the planet, the Jedi had written a seething report to the Jedi Council detailing their experience on the planet and how inhospitable it was to higher life forms. With a somber expression, he kindly jested back. "I'm rarely there."

"Can't say I blame you." Anakin agreed as the blue and white streaks entered the front viewport.

And Obi Wan smiled in return.

As they both gazed into the tunnel of white and blue streaks, they each handled the stillness differently. Obi Wan centered his breath, directing his attention to the Force and becoming numb within it, ignore and letting go of his troubling thoughts and feelings. It's something he's been doing more often than not. So much so that the fleeting, temporary calm from such an effort didn't always seem worth it. Eventually, they would all come back with a vengeance-all the things he didn't want to think of and definitely didn't want to face head on.

Secretive, fleeting, slippery, and dodgy. Anakin sat there tapping his foot, contemplating the nature of his former Master. The rise and fall of their conversations bothered him; illusions of a temporary peace brimming under the thin veil of unresolved issues. He viewed it as a facade, not as a compromise they could both agree on. They were not ok. He wasn't ok. He couldn't pretend or assume things were forgiven and just move on, not when these unspoken issues kept bubbling up awkwardly. To say there was a lack of trust would be an oversimplification. Patience was still a mostly foreign concept to Anakin and he would rather tackle things head on instead of letting it come out "naturally." There was no time like the present, and more importantly, he was ready to handle it now, so it was time to let it all come out.

It wasn't the only reason as another motive also spurred Anakin. Despite how sympathetic and forgiving the older man was if Anakin was honest to himself, he still didn't trust the Jedi. Rightfully suspicious, Obi Wan wasn't entirely the same person Anakin remembered, if his disturbing vessel name wasn't an indication enough, and Anakin couldn't trust his life or his family in his hands without seeing that well manicured facade fall. He needed the truth, no matter how ugly and painful it was.

"Ok, Obi Wan. Now is as good as a time as any. Let's have it." Anakin finally spoke up, his confident voice echoing down the small shuttle's hallway.

Unimpressed and begrudging the young man's bravado, the Jedi sighed heavily, hoping to somehow avoid this. "I don't know what you are insinuating." He retorted curtly.

If stubbornness was a trait taught from master to apprentice, it was a lesson Anakin learned well. Just as dogmatic, Anakin wasn't going to stop now. "Yes, you do." He confronted him. "Let's just put it out there and deal with it."

With an exaggerated eye roll, Obi Wan crossed his arms as he stayed glued to his chair. "As I said before. I don't care what happened five years ago and I meant it." The older man's voice clip and persuasive, indicating his desire to drop the subject and he foolishly hoped it would be enough for Anakin to take the hint.

"Liar," Anakin scolded, challenging him. With two long strides, he found himself overlooking the copilot seat.

As Anakin got up, Obi Wan couldn't hide the subtle twitch in the corner of his eye at being accused of a liar. Unfortunately, his emotions were still frayed and difficult to control at the moment and he refused to bother with them even with an obstinate Anakin looming right over him, breathing down his neck expectantly.

Alone in space together, Obi Wan couldn't hide from this, and Anakin suspected he would dodge the issue as he had expertly done so many times in the past. Whatever stops the older man would pull to detract from the necessary conversation wouldn't work and Anakin continued to peel back his defenses to get to the heart of the issue. "I was a disappointment to you even before what happened at the Temple." The rawness in his voice was painfully visible.

It was time to let it all out. If they were going to have any success with defeating Darth Sidious, Anakin knew they needed to lay everything out on the table and deal with it once and for all. Their past history was filled with resentments, including unspoken assumptions, and the small rifts in their relationship were cunningly exploited by Chancellor Palpatine in Anakin's youth. Unwittingly, the Chancellor pried out many of Anakin's criticisms about Obi Wan, no matter how he tried to hide them, the former senator from Naboo had a way of opening him up. When Anakin confessed something, the smooth, deceitfully concerned politician turned minor issues into huge, overarching concerns with a lack of trust in the relationship. At this point, Anakin's mind was tainted and muddled by Palpatine's manipulations. He couldn't tell what was real or a perversion, so to defeat Darth Sidious, he also had to face his worse fears if they were to stand any chance at all. Otherwise, it'll be used against them because that's what Darth Sidious did, exploiting deep fears and plant false hopes into desperate and ignorant souls.

"I was never good enough. Couldn't be the perfect Padawan and I was even more of a disappointment of a Jedi Knight." Anakin continued pouring out his soul.

Sorrow fueled words shattered Obi Wan's heart, who couldn't ignore the weight of such confessions. This got Obi Wan's attention as he wondered if this is how Anakin truly felt and it grieved him even more. "That's not true. I was always proud of what you accomplished as a Jedi and I will admit, at first, the situation that found us to be master and apprentice was not ideal. Nevertheless, I was honored to be your teacher and very happy to have you as my Padawan."

Anakin frowned at the sentiment Obi Wan had repeated many times before. Over the years, he's heard these words spoken but they never really seeped in. He couldn't really embrace his Master's praises. They felt shallow somehow and doubts of his sincerity were further fueled by the dark threads Darth Sidious weaved into Anakin's adolescent mind. Now, after all these years, finally finding the courage to voice his fears, Anakin spoke up. "It was all for the Jedi, wasn't it? The Jedi code meant everything to you but I couldn't live up to that. Isn't that why you always criticized me?"

Shaking his head furiously, the galaxy worn Jedi exasperatedly contested how wrong that judgment was. "I knew your potential and I wanted you to be the Jedi I saw in you." The words seemed reassuring in his own mind but he instantly regretted it as Anakin scoffed, not responding well to the assessment.

"Well…that never happened, did it?" Anakin spat softly, his eyes full of grief and regret. At this point in his life, he couldn't muster up the anger of his youth put up a defensive front. Now, he only wanted the truth.

"Anakin, you misunderstand." Obi Wan attempted to rectify things as he frowned deeply, wanting desperately for Anakin to understand.

The man before him was so easily and profoundly wounded by innocent misunderstandings on Obi Wan's part, and yet it morphed into the resentful person Anakin had become. Obi Wan berated himself for his ignorance and couldn't find the right words to undo the damage. Unaccustomed to Anakin's new brashness and the raw, unfiltered confessions left him completely defenseless. Angry and sarcastic remarks were how the Anakin he knew operated, and a part of Obi Wan withdrew into himself to hide from the pain he caused while simultaneously being torn with the brotherly need to repair their relationship.

"I care very much for you like a brother I never had and not just a Jedi." Obi Wan admitted, crossing into uncharted territories. "Look, I know the Jedi Code has its faults." Ignoring as Anakin again snorted harshly, Obi Wan continued. "If the past several years wandering around this despotic galaxy wasn't enough to clearly make that apparent to me." Obi Wan shook his head wearily and lamented. "What the Jedi did to you was wrong and if I could go back and change the way things happened…" This seemed to reach Anakin as he studied Obi Wan more keenly, waiting for the old man to continue. His hands shaking softly, Obi Wan was sure Anakin had noticed how not only his hands but his whole body trembled, then he paused with his eyes distant, revealing how much was spent rewriting the past in his mind before he spoke again. "I would have done things differently. The only thing I can offer you now is how sorry I am for what happened."

It was a lot to process as Anakin bit the bottom of his lip considering the information, and on some level, it had revealed a lot to Anakin, but he decided it wasn't enough. "That doesn't justify things, does it?" He asked knowingly.

Obi Wan frowned, confusion written all over his face. "I beg your pardon. I don't understand."

"If I didn't disappoint you as a Jedi, then I did as your brother." Anakin elaborated. "Let's face it. I fell to the Dark side. Something you think I should have been stronger to resist."

Obi Wan turned away, ashamed at the truth of the jarring statement.

Anakin frowned, slightly disappointed but the response wasn't a complete surprise. "I don't expect you to forgive me. Kriffing!" Distraught and guilt ridden, Anakin flung his hands up in the air as he proclaimed. "I don't even forgive myself! But I want you to acknowledge that it happened." His voice shrilled with pain and remorse.

Still looking away, Obi Wan shook his head gravely, squeezing his eyes shut tightly. His hands shook further, more intensely now, and he couldn't stop them. Breathing into the Force didn't seem to work this time, the dammed up emotions threatening to spill over his carefully erect walls. The galaxy worn and emotionally spent man spoke just above a whisper. "I can't."

"You can't or you won't," Anakin declared sternly, not backing down.

Unable to handle this, Obi Wan refused to face his former Padawan seeing how a volcano of emotions would erupt beyond his control. Despite Obi Wan's best intentions, he didn't know how not to let the emotions run rampant. There was no steady stream about them. Once they started, it would come flooding out and that made Obi Wan extremely uncomfortable, especially since he didn't know how Anakin would react, how this would end, or if there was ever any coming back from anything said or done. No, the Jedi Master could not allow such things to happen.

Watching his former Master in silence, Anakin didn't need the Force to feel the conflict within Obi Wan. The old man was beyond an overheated reactor core and an explosion was imminent. He just couldn't see it. From his own past experience, Anakin knew this couldn't be bottled up, not when it was this massive. It doesn't work that way. Still, Obi Wan wouldn't budge as he continued his overthinking, creating a petrifying analysis paralysis.

The silence was worse than anything else.

Then Anakin had a brilliant idea and as he devilishly smiled, he saw Obi Wan's tired blue eyes squint even wearier, skeptically realizing he wouldn't like what the young man had to say next.

Cavalier as ever, Anakin offered the solution. "Ok, you know what." He said, leaning closer to Obi Wan's concerned face as he cooed. "Hit me."

"What?!" Obi Wan stammered as he dug himself deeper into his chair, as far away from the insane person in front of him as he could.

"Oh, come on." Anakin's lips curled upwards. "You know you want to do it. Just let it out. Hit me and you'll feel better."

"No, Anakin, this is ridiculous. I'm not ang..." Obi Wan couldn't finish the sentence because it would be a lie. He was furious but he couldn't give in to it. "Revenge is not the Jedi Way." Obi Wan decided on as reciting the Jedi's Code always gave him comfort in the past.

Anakin snorted loudly. "You still holding on to that? After everything that's happened?" With that, he turned his right cheek and angled himself primed for a good sucker punch. "Just once. It'll feel good, I promise."

"No, Anakin!" Obi Wan retorted, his voice tight and strained, the bubbling emotions underneath threatened to surface. "You're acting like a child! Stop being so ridiculous!" Obi Wan scolded him, hoping it would deter the petulant man.

But it didn't.

With even more certainty, Anakin eyed him boldly know this was the only way. He leaned in even closer, his voice serious and deep. "I know you, Obi Wan. Maybe you fooled everyone else that you don't feel anything but I know you better. You're angry with what happened. With what I DID." Anakin carefully gauged his reaction, scanning the seated Jedi in front of him, noting how his pupils constricted and dilated in response to Anakin's words. "I broke the Jedi Code!" He watched as Obi Wan turns away from him and he knew he got to him. So he went in for the kill.

"Everyone at the Temple is dead because of me! The masters, the Jedi knights-" Anakin stated as he circled in. He took a step forward, leaning down, and turning the co-pilot chair towards him so he could gaze defiantly into Obi Wan's eyes, taunting him, "the younglings…"

That was the last straw and Obi Wan screaming, barrelled into Anakin's torso, slamming him the opposing wall of the cockpit as the walls shook from the impact.

"You insufferable nerf herder!" Obi Wan roared, his fist landing squarely on Anakin's awaiting jaw, the bone crunching under his knuckles. "You were never good at listening!" The accusations began.

The punch cracked and split Anakin's left lower lip but he took the hit, jaw stinging sharply and turned unfazed to continue his taunt. It was all or nothing now. "You were always so self righteous! You always thought your plans were better than mine!" Anakin hissed, instigated his former Master further.

"Because they were! At least I thought them out. You only acted. You never learned to stop and think!" Obi Wan bellowed, throwing another punch hitting the other side of Anakin's face. In a fit of rage, Obi Wan grabbed Anakin's tunic and jerked him forward, landing his knee in Anakin's stomach and earning a pained grunt as Anakin collapsed on the ground.

Crouched on the ground, gasping for air, holding his burning ribs, Anakin wasn't going to stop now. This needed to happen and in an odd way he welcomed Obi Wan's raw, unrestrained reaction. "You were too busy looking for my faults. You never saw when I did anything right!"

With a shuttering breath, Obi Wan shoved his booted foot into Anakin's shoulder and kicked him over onto his back. With shaking fists, he barked through clenched teeth. "I was trying to get you to be the man I knew you would be!

"You were an awful teacher!" Laying on his back, Anakin snapped at Obi Wan from the ground with his eyes burning with blue fire as he challenged his assailant.

With a derisive snort, Obi Wan crotched over him, curling his hands into Anakin's tunic and pulled him up roughly to glare into his foolish Padawan's face, and he spatted. "You were an awful student!" It came pouring out as all control was lost now. Instinct, feelings, and thoughts all merging into one. "You were the Chosen One! How could you do this?" His voice was distressed and full of hurt, betrayal, and sadness.

"I failed you!" Anakin stared back at him, taking full responsibility for Obi Wan's pain.

Like a splash of icy water, the words echoed in Obi Wan's mind and it shook him out of the surreal trance he was in, realizing what he had done and was doing. Looking down at his hands twisted in Anakin's tunic, the shock of such a display lead him to hastily releasing Anakin's shirt. Quickly scrambling, as he backed up and away like a frightened animal, he threw his back into the nearest corner, horrified by his actions. It took several blurry blinks before Obi Wan could speak. "No….I failed you." His senses returning as he nodded his head solemnly, breathing hard from the endeavor. "It is I that failed you, Anakin. This is all my fault."

On the other side, picking himself up off the ground, Anakin heaved his bruised and aching body onto the nearby wall. Shaking his head in disagreement, between painful gasps for air, he argued. "That's not true. I'm responsible for my own actions. This isn't your fault."

Quietly replaying what just happened in his mind, Obi Wan slumped back against the wall behind him, breathing hard from the physical effort. Slowly processing what Anakin said, it felt so surreal but it happened. All of it came flooding out just like he feared. As he carefully eyed the split lower lip on his former Padawan's face, wincing that he caused it, and even though he had lost control of himself, he also felt freer than he had in ages.

There was a sadistic sense of satisfaction as Anakin leaned back against the wall behind him, careful of his bruised and possibly broken ribs and the aching throb from his cheek and jaw. Deliberately, Anakin never landed a blow on Obi Wan. He taunted and instigated his former Master but he never landed a punch, never fought back. Gladly, he took it and let Obi Wan vent out all his frustrations and it seemed to do the trick.

"There." Anakin smiled painfully as he licked at the cut on his lower lip, tasting the trickle of blood that begun to emerge. "Don't you feel better now?" A wild grin widened despite the pain of having a split lip.

Obi Wan's awareness dulling down again with the emotional gates closed, the adrenaline started to leave his body as his heart rate slowed. As he returned to his senses, he was surprised when feelings of guilt and shame never appeared. There was an internal calmness he hadn't been able to achieve until this moment. Unbelievable, the Jedi shook his head. "After all these years, you are still as ridiculous as ever." He stated, feeling light and free.

The reply came cheerfully. "I'll take that as a compliment! You're welcome, Master." Anakin said cheekily, remaining slumped against the wall, not bothering to move. Now he was going to have bruises on bruises, as sharp and throbbing pain fought for dominance in his body, a part of him wondered what color his flank would finally settle on after all of this. Despite that his body may be broken, his spirit never felt stronger, and he couldn't find it in him to care about his body. It'll heal. Anakin leaned his head back, welcoming the cold metal wall, as he endearingly contemplated the disheveled but recognizable man he grew up with. From across the way, with the sentiments returned as the older man smiled an honest and open grin back at him, they both shared a hearty laugh.

And Anakin couldn't help the next thing that came out of his impish mouth.

"Did you really call me a nerf herder?" Anakin mused.

At those words, Obi Wan's laughter stopped abruptly and with wide eyes in realization, he blushed furiously and groaned his embarrassment. He's never going to live this one down.

This raised a chuckle out of Anakin's throbbing chest and his good mood couldn't be shaken as he continued glibly. "That's twice you've beaten me up in one day. For a Jedi, you're really losing that self control of yours." He quipped spritely.

Across the tiny cockpit, still sprawled on the floor, Obi Wan gave Anakin his best withering glare.

A/N: Nothing like a good brawl to clear the air. They're good now! All fixed! Easy, right? LOL.

I also made fun of myself for Obi Wan's silly ship name and he's the one that has to suffer. It's going to be an ongoing gag at my poor ability to make up thoughtful ship names.