That morning, Padmé woke up in a private Jedi Ward. A small, enclosed room belonging to a Jedi master. It was furnished with a large bed, and a small, wooden table. The room itself was large, and open, with a window filling up it's one, curved wall. She turned beneath the satin covers to face Obi-Wan, who was staring back at her. Padmé smiled slightly at Obi-Wan, her mind somewhere else. It had been six long months since they had seen or heard from Anakin or Mace or anyone, and for all she knew they were probably dead.

"Do you think Anakin would've wanted me to move on?" she asked Obi-Wan with a sigh.

Obi-Wan smiled, yet, at the same time questioned himself how he had ever managed to end up with his Padawan's wife. He slowly recalled the situation... something he hadn't spoken to about anyone...

"You or he.." "I'm sorry master Yoda,..." "I would rather chose him over myself.." "he has a better chance of survival.."

Obi-Wan recalled the conversation he had with Yoda, when he was given the option to either send himself or Anakin to find Dooku. He had selfishly chosen himself, and now regretted it. Though, being with Padmé had made him even more selfish, and greedy. He had longed for love all his life, and instead of being the powerful, honest Jedi he once was, he had given into his feelings. The feelings that had been in him for too long, unable to escape that now, once they had, they were that of darkness.

"Padmé, he's gone, and I'm sure he wanted you to be happy........you are happy with me now, aren't you? We've been together for close to a month now.." She said nothing, just nodded. Obi-Wan shook his head as he pulled her closer.

"I'm glad you've forgotten him..." he smiled.

"But I haven't", she thought to herself. He had promised he would come back...and what if he did and found her? Then what? She shook the thought out of her mind and embraced Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan slowly pulled away.

"It's rather early, but you know I must get going now M' Lady. I will go check on any reports from the carrier ship, though I doubt there will be any. It's just best this way..."

Obi wan got up from the bed and left through the large, sealed door. It led to the dress corridor, a small room, crowded with each Jedi's uniform. Padmé got out of bed and got dressed, wondering what he was talking about.
~*~*~*~
Meanwhile, Obi-Wan was traveling through the halls to the well-known council room which he spent most of his time in every morning.

"Any news yet R4?" He asked a droid, when someone replied.

"Yes, why in fact there is! Rather interesting indeed." Another droid replied, as he walked over to R4, signaling a hologram. Just then, Anakin's figure appeared before Obi-Wan and the two droids. Obi-Wan was shocked, and concerned all at once.

"Obi....I'm fine...I'm the only one who made it....you have to send help...."

Obi-Wan seemed outraged as he looked, shocked, at Anakin's figure before him, luminous in the glow of blue light.

"How long ago was this sent, days? Weeks? The means there's no chance he survived since then right..?" Obi-Wan searched for words, now worrying about the consequences if Anakin were still alive.

"Do not fear master Obi-Wan. This was just sent this morning, Master Yoda has already sent out another carrier ship. It is lucky for you, Obi-Wan, that Anakin will be back shortly!"

The droid turned, and erased the hologram. He and R4 left the council room, leaving Obi-Wan by himself. Obi-Wan shuffled uncertainly through-out the room, and at that time, his once wise self and his hopeful conscience came back to him.

"I can't believe what I've done... I should have never let my emotions get the best of me, especially after so long, it's taken control of me..."

He stopped briefly to look around the room, making sure no one was there to hear him speak. "She,...Padmé,...She takes control of me, I love her, but when Anakin comes back, he will kill me. I have to get over her, but I can't let Padmé know he's alive,..not just yet... I need to explain this reasonably..." He began to work out a confusing plot within his head, to deceive both Padmé and Anakin. Obi-Wan wasn't sure what to do... should he go to Padmé first, before Anakin could reach her, or wait for the ship to arrive and mislead Anakin.

~*~*~*~
Padmé sighed and sat back down on the edge of the bed. She had absolutely nothing to do...
Obi-Wan had decided to go to the ship hangar to be the first to meet Anakin, that way, he could lie his way out of this situation, and still have time to explain things to Padmé, and get his true sense back to him. He shook his head, a furious anger, which had never been seen in him for a long time, took hold of his thoughts.

"What have I become? What have I done to myself? And to those I care most about? I have to change everything about this before it gets out of hand...hopefully they will understand..."

Obi-Wan was turning the corner of the empty hallway when he saw the firmiliar figure and stance of his Padawan before him. Something about him was different, as if his fully-formed maturity could be seen from every angle of him. Obi-Wan couldn't hide that he was glad to see him, yet at the same time, he wasn't.

"Padmé.."

Anakin trailed off with a smirk on his face, it was obviously known that he wanted to see her, and run to her immediately. but Obi-Wan knew he couldn't find out about anything, about Obi-Wan's choice to send him, or about the secret affair between the two.

"Oh, Ani, I'm glad to see you young Padawan.."

Obi-Wan managed a covering smile, to hide his lies.

"Indeed master Obi-Wan, but where is she?"

Anakin's smile slowly faded, as he became more concerned. He noticed Obi-Wan always change the subject when there was something wrong.

"Padmé? I mean, Senator Amidella? She...Why she is at Naboo, she mentioned something about visiting a...school retreat."

Obi-Wan seemed satisfied with his work.

"She is? Then I shall fly to Naboo and find her.."

Anakin said, assured by Obi-Wan's alibi

"No! I mean, Anakin, you are needed here." Even though Obi-Wan was trying to keep the two apart, it seemed he would need Anakin near, in order to fulfill his plan.

"Well, in that case, I will head to the council room to request leave of Coruscant."

Anakin left Obi-Wan, stranded in the hall as he headed for the room. Obi-Wan knew no one was there that could grant him his leave, so it was the bet choice to buy him time.

In moments, Obi-Wan ran to his private room, where he hoped Padmé was waiting, for his sake. He slowed he entered the room. He ignored Padmé and took a seat on a fibre glass chair. He sat and contemplated his whole situation. "Why wasn't Anakin able to read my thoughts?....The war....it must have destroyed his powers,...or interfered with them...." He thought silently to himself, when he realized he didn't have much time to explain thing to Padmé. Padmé looked over at Obi-Wan and watched him for a moment.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

Obi-Wan did not look at her, yet replied;

"No, there was no news of Anakin surviving, I feel he is gone for certain.."

Obi-Wan managed to get out, thinking of the top of his head.

"Weird..." , Padmé thought. She hadn't asked about any news- there was something going on, he was trying to hide something from her.

"Obi-Wan, what's going on?" she finally asked him.

"Nothing M' lady I love you, and I don't think Anakin will come back, and if he did, he probably forgot about you after all this time. You wouldn't go back to him if he were back, would you?"

the words slipped out of obi-wan as his conscience began to argue with him "He loved her more then you, and she loves him, what are you doing? Let them be...tell the truth.... you are a wise, powerful Jedi, not a manipulating scum..." He began to think to himself, realizing the truth. Padmé didn't really know what to say. She knew Anakin would not forget about her. And she didn't want to hurt Obi-Wan, but yes, she would probably go back to Anakin if he came back...but then, he even said, the chances were slim that he would. And if he did, well, there would be a little situation. This time, Obi-Wan looked up at her.

"What am I saying? Of course you would. In fact, we are not even sure if we honestly do love each other.... I am a Jedi Knight, my emotions often get mixed up between the force, my true feelings, my conscience. I may possibly be mistaken...Please forgive me for leading you in to this.." Obi-Wan seemed convincing.

"What do you mean?" she questioned.

She still was trying to figure out what the whole conversation was about. Obi-Wan shook his head vigorously.

"I can't Lie anymore Padmé, Anakin...he's alive. And this whole time, It was my decision to send him away, I have longed for you all this time. When I was a padawan, I knew you longer, and figured you would love me, until we met Anakin. I was jealous, and I thought I had finally gotten my chance. I am sorry Padmé, but I loved you, and I understand what a fool I've been...please forgive me." He stood up from his seat and pulled her into him, and kissed her, passionately, intimately. He let all those years of a love-less soul, and his tormented heart be released. He let his love for her take its toll.

Just then, Anakin came storming through the door.

"Obi-Wan, I wanted to bring you to Master Windu's grave, I brought his body back with me, I'm sure he would-" He stopped, it took him some time to realize what was happening before him. It came as a blur, His master, his wife, in the arms of each other, kissing, as only he would kiss her. She was sharing her love with Obi-Wan, and this whole time, he had believed she had true feelings for him. Outraged, he lifted out his light saber, then put it back in it's holster. With tears flowing from his eyes, and that anger, the furious anger that only Padmé was able to control took hold of him. He didn't know where to run, how to escape. He didn't want to stand there any longer, he couldn't stand the sight of looking at them. He charged forward and head towards the window, screaming, bursting with anger and hatred. The glass shattered, but Anakin was held back, by a course hand that held his tattered robe.

"Release me! Let me go!" He fought off Obi-Wan, but was thrown to the floor. His anger relished around in him, as he wanted it to end, wanted to forget everything. As he had been forgotten. He shouted furiously as he looked up, his jaw clenched and his teeth grinding together. He saw them, the closest people to him, other then his mother. And now, they were nothing, he meant nothing to them. They had betrayed him, and he had been forgotten. He refused to take in what he saw.. it made matters worse.

"I will leave, and let you be..."

Surprisingly, he remained calm, as he stood up and gradually headed towards the door.

"Anakin..." She broke off, lost for words.

He turned, and looked at her. He loved her, yet, he couldn't hide his anger.

"It's alright, I understand this.." he broke off, pulling away his ring from his hand. He threw at her feet. He looked back up, tears stinging his eyes, as the bright room became a blur. "This meant nothing, and you, you mean nothing to me. I assume I have been forgotten, I have no place here... and I have no master. My master is dead, Master Windu was indeed a true Jedi. He didn't love his Padawan's wife. I will leave you both, I can not believe I didn't figure it out from the beginning. I was used so that the galaxies' perfect marriage could be formed. The all mighty Jedi Master, and a senator. The two most powerful positions, able to conquer any one... and I was only an obstacle used to bring you closer." He looked down at his feet, shaking inside. He walked off and down the corridor by himself. In the middle of the hall, he collapsed and lay there for a long time.

~*~*~*~

Padmé and Obi-Wan remained in the room. Padmé picked up the ring from the ground, trying not to cry, but she couldn't help it. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at the ring in her hand. Everything was wrong...and she was the cause of it. Obi-Wan left the room. He saw Anakin laying on the cold tiles of the corridor. He lifted him by his collar and dragged him across to a separate room where he left him, and continued on to where ever he was headed. "This is all my fault", Padmé thought as she lay down, feeling completely miserable. Tears fell on her pillow as she closed her eyes, and when she could cry no more she slowly fell asleep.