CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

FEAR

Anakin, Padmé and Shmi were standing before the Jedi council for the first time after nine years. This time, Anakin wasn't carrying Shmi in his arms. Now she was standing in front of the council by herself, a few steps ahead from her parents. Padmé and Anakin had a concern look in their eyes, as if they knew that something was wrong. Shmi was serious. Yoda was the one to talk.

"Troubles, you seem to have with your daughter, hmmm?", Yoda asked. Padmé looked at Shmi and nodded. "An explanation, would you like to give us, young Skywalker?", he said staring at Shmi. Anger showed in the girl's eyes when she heard Yoda calling her Skywalker, but she remembered her mother's words, and decided to dismiss the issue.

"I feel strange things inside of me, Master Yoda, as if I was meant to hurt people". Yoda frowned and looked deeply into her eyes.

"Including you parents?", Mace asked curious.

"No, I would never hurt my mother, she means the world to me", was her answer.

"And what about your father?", Mace asked. Shmi's look torn serious.

"He is not my father, but yes, I have to hurt him too". She turned her head to look at Anakin, who was almost crying. "He keeps holding me back because he's jealous of me and my powers. He doesn't want me to become a Jedi", she said in a hard tone. A tear rolled down Anakin's cheek. Shmi looked at him and pointed to his tear. "That encourages me even more to hurt him, and I know that I'm hurting him right now, aren't I, Anakin?", she asked with an evil grin. Padmé couldn't take it anymore.

"Shmi, that's enough!", she interrupted. There was an awkward silence. Yoda sighed and shook his head.

"Much danger, in this girl I feel. Dangerous, she might be for us". Yoda frowned and looked at Shmi. "The dark path, she is following". Anakin stepped to the front.

"That's impossible, that can't be!", he said not being able to control his feelings. Padmé was shocked too, she couldn't talk, she couldn't breath. She thought she was going to pass out.

"That... there must be a mistake, this can't...", she managed to say. Shmi turned to look at her mother with an insensitive look in her eyes. There was nothing that could tell Padmé what her daughter was feeling. "Shmi...", she said as she wrapped her arms around her, crying hopelessly. Shmi returned the embrace and tried to comfort her mother.

After a couple of minutes, Yoda asked to be left alone with Shmi. It was hard for Padmé to let go of her, but Anakin convinced her that it was for the best. They walked outside and left Shmi with the council.

"Something to say, you have, young one?", Yoda asked.

"What do you want me to say? 'Oh, I'm sorry, I'll be a good Jedi now...' Well, you better wake up and take a good look at reality, because I'm not changing until I have a new master and do my training here, in Courasant!", she demanded.

"A bold mouth, you have. And only 9, you are". Yoda said.

"I may be 9, but I AM the Chosen One", she added with a smirk. Yoda sighed.

He wasn't very pleased with the new Chosen One. If she kept that attitude, she would end up being a Sith, a very powerful one, too. Maybe it was better to give her what she wanted, that way, her emotions would be under control.

"Your way, you will have in this. But under one condition, only: your new master, I shall be", Yoda finished. Shmi's eyes widened. The most powerful Jedi was going to be HER master! Now she was proud... She bowed to the council and kneeled before Yoda.

"That would be more than a condition, Master. It would be an honor".

"Honored, be not. Focused, you must stay". Shmi bowed again and left the room. Outside in the hallway she saw Anakin and Padmé, who stepped forward as soon as she closed the door.

"The council talked to me, everything will be fine", Shmi assured them. Padmé sighed in relief.

"Are you alright?", Anakin asked softly to Shmi. But Shmi didn't appreciate that kind of tone from Anakin.

"Why do you even bother to ask?", she asked in a hard tone. Padmé gave her an icy glance, warning her to stop.

"Because I'm your fa... master!", Anakin answered. It was hard to say it that way. He'd always considered himself as her daughter.

"Well, not anymore. From now on, master Yoda will train me. And I'll live here from now on, that way I don't have to see you again". She turned to padmé and gave her a kind look. "Let's go, mommy. I'd like to spend more time with you while you are here, now that we won't be living together... I'll miss you". She wrapped her arms around her mother's neck. "I love you, mommy".

"I love you too", Padmé answered. She didn't know what to do. On one hand, there was Anakin, her dear husband who was in an unbelievable pain because of Shmi. And in the other hand, there was her daughter, who meant everything to her. but so did Anakin. Padmé was very confused, she felt trapped.

"I'll... I'll go and get Kobby", Anakin managed to say. Padmé begged him to stay with a pleading look she gave him, but he was already on his way. He walked away, trying to keep his head up.

***************

Anakin was in the temple cafeteria with Kobby, having some icecream. Well, at least kobby was, because Anakin couldn't eat, he wasn't hungry. Kobby noticed his father's sadness, so he dropped the spoon he was using and held Anakin's hand with his own little one. Anakin turned to look at Kobby, who was giving him a wide smile, though he had icecream all over his mouth and face. Anakin couldn't do anything but smile back at his son.

When kobby realized he had reached his goal, he squeezed his father's hand, leaving it sticky and all dirty. Anakin let out a chuckle and opned his arms.

"Come here", he said. Kobby wrapped his arms around his father's neck.

"I love you, daddy", he said. Anakin sighed in relief.

"I love you too, Kobby".

Padmé walked towards Anakin's table and couldn't help but smile t the little scene that Kobby and Anakin were displaying. Anakin was using his sleeve to clean his face while he told him some funny story. Kobby giggled and leaned closer to kiss his father's cheek. When he leaned back, he noticed his mother walking towards them and ran to meet her arms. Padmé opened her arms and hugged Kobby while she called his name.

Padmé sat down next to Anakin and entwined her fingers with his. Anakin smiled at her and kissed her hand. Kobby giggled and started to hum his parents favorite song. They both raised their brows in surprise.

"Shut up!", they both said at the same time. Kobby laughed and sat down in the chair next to the table. He laughed a while longer and went back to his icecream. Anakin shook his head and turned to Padmé.

"When did he learn our song?", he asked smiling.