1 Chapter 8
"Get up." Brady said through gritted teeth as Obi-Wan starred on in shock, unable to speak, seeing his own Padawan, and the girl of his…well Chloe…in bed together. As he stood there, the action around him seemed to move in slow motion. He watched as Brady went to the bed and grabbed the back of Anakin, pulling him down onto the floor, the blanket tumbling down with him. "I said get up." He seethed as Anakin awoke with shock, finally registering what was happening. He stood up, wrapping the blanket around his waist, as he looked at his Master, who had a look of disbelief on his face, then turned to the raging man before him, then back to the bed where Obi-Wan's eyes still lay. As he watched the form in the bed begin to stir, he felt an iron grip wrap around his neck and slam him into the wall. With the sickening thud as he smashed against the solid wall, Anakin groaned loudly, causing the person in his bed to sit up quickly, aghast at the sight before her. Jumping up, uncaring of her appearance in the thin nightgown, her luxurious hair, tumbled down past her waist in ringlets, all she could see was what Brady was doing to Anakin.
"Get away from him!" She yelled trying to push Brady's hands off Anakin's throat. "This isn't what it looks like!" She turned her eyes around the room, looking for anything to stop this madness, her eyes finally lying on Obi-Wan, who looked at her only in disappointment. "Ben." She pleaded with her eyes but he turned away from her gaze, unable to bear what he had just seen. She stood in the middle of the room, between Ani and Brady and Obi-Wan, watching as Brady applied more pressure, Anakin's hands reaching up to try to push him away. Finally Chloe looked deep within herself and called out to the Force, and managed, with all of her might, to push Brady off of Anakin, throwing him across the room and into the opposite wall, as both he and Anakin slumped down breathless. Running to Anakin she leaned down next to him. "Are you alright?" She asked, as he nodded, but she knew that he wasn't. She could already see the rage building in his eyes. "Don't." She said forcefully as she placed her palm upon his chest, his eyes gazing into hers as he slowly calmed down, knowing full well that the rage inside him would only make this situation worse. Standing up, Chloe tried to compose herself, passing a destroyed Obi-Wan who's eyes lay on the floor, then over to Brady who sat still on the floor, his head in his hands.
"I want you to leave." She said staring down at him. "You have no right, to come into Anakin's room and attack him. You have a problem with your vision Master Black. You see things that are not there, and this is not the first time." She said with a calm anger as Brady slowly lifted his head, his eyes unreadable.
"If I am leaving." He paused attempting to stand up, wincing slightly from the pain in his back, shocked at the amount of skill Chloe had. "Then you are coming with me. I am full aware of what I walked in on. You in bed with another Padawan, who just so happened to be naked."
"Was I naked?" She asked as her Master gazed over her body.
"You might as well be." He said taking in her appearance. Had he not just seen her in bed with another man, he would have taken her right there. Her gorgeous hair flowing down to her backside, her face and bosom flushed red, and her curvaceous body clinging to the sheer nightgown. Assets that were well hidden underneath her Jedi robes. Assets he should not be noticing or wanting to take advantage of. And that was entirely the problem. As she continued to feel his gaze burn into her she crossed her arms in front of her chest, finally aware of her appearance.
"It was not what it looked like." She said softly trying to make him believe, but seeing no trust in his eyes. Turning away from him she walked to Obi-Wan. She attempted to reach out and lift his head but pulled back swiftly, remembering that there were others in the room. Knowing her struggle, Obi-Wan looked up, his soulful eyes staring into hers. "You must know that I would never…it wasn't what it appeared to be. Nothing went on other than two close friends falling asleep in bed together. In no way intentional. You know how Ani sleeps naked. But he was covered. I was covered. I would never betray my vows with Anakin." She said the last two words lower than the rest. "It was a mistake to fall asleep in here. But we did nothing." She pleaded. "You must believe that."
"I do." Obi-Wan said finally speaking. "I believe you Chloe." He said staring past her to Anakin, who had now sat on the bed, who nodded slowly, as his Master finally understood. "But it still hurt to see." He whispered low enough so only Chloe could hear. "I won't deny that."
"I understand." She whispered back, taking a step back from the intense situation, turning back to Brady.
"Master. I am sorry for missing our appointment, and for being where I should not. I never meant for this to happen, and I will never allow it to happen again." She said sincerely as she tried to rectify the situation.
"You're right. This will not happen again." He said walking over to her. "For you are not to see young Skywalker again. Or Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. That is unless you would like me to go to the council with this." Brady said trying to control all of his emotions, feeling that this solution was the only way to do so.
"You can't do that!" Chloe yelled. "It was a mistake. I was speaking with my closest friend in the entire galaxy and we fell asleep. I cannot help it that Anakin is weird and sleeps in the nude. But I did not betray my vows."
"I don't care. I believe you that you didn't. And I am sorry that I once again acted rashly." He said, mostly directing the apology at Anakin, who ignored the man fully. "But Chloe, this situation will not happen again. None of these will. You are to stay away from both Master Kenobi and his apprentice. I am telling you as your Master, and you will listen to me."
"I will listen to you? Have we not had this conversation already? You may be my Master, but I am not your slave Brady Black. You cannot tell me who to be close with, who to share my life with. I made a mistake. Not Anakin. Not Master Obi-Wan. Do not punish them for my mistake of coming to a friend to talk. For staying when I should have left. For your anger and jealousy. Master Kenobi is not making Anakin stay away. He realizes that this was a one-time occurrence, considering the length of mine and Anakin's friendship. And he realizes that it will not happen again." She said as Obi-Wan nodded
"You hold yourself very highly Chloe if you think that their lives would end without you in it." Brady said staring at the two men.
"It would." Anakin said finally speaking. "She keeps me grounded. Through all of these years I surely would have not made it this far without her. And my Master of course. But I highly doubt that I would even still be a Padawan if it were not for Chloe."
"Isn't this heartwarming." Brady said.
"It is true." Obi-Wan said. "Chloe is of great importance in both of our lives, and I am more than certain that without her in it, they will not be as fulfilling and-"
"Of course you would say that." Brady said bitterly. "But it means nothing. She is my Padawan and this is what will be done. And personally I can say that my life with Chloe in it, however short, is none of the things that you say."
"You are a cold, unfeeling bastard." Chloe spat out. "No wonder the Council put you out alone in the middle of nowhere!"
"Yeah, well they think I am the perfect match for you kid. So, that must be saying something about you!"
"You know you are a broken record. It's the same thing spouted from your mouth again and again. And just when I think we are making headway, you allow your feelings to take control. Your inadequacies or your jealousy or whatever it is. Perhaps Jedi Master Black, are the one who needs to be taught. Because this is not how a Jedi, or even a person, acts."
"And you know how a Jedi acts? Because it is certainly not this. A Jedi does not lay with another person. Or develop attachments to people. This is not how a Jedi acts Chloe."
"Why do you care so much? You certainly do not want the job of my Master. You have told me as such, even though you are doing it for the Council. It is apparent that you do not like me as a person, so why do you care so much about what I do. Why do you let your feelings affect you so when it concerns me? Can you can answer me that Master Black?" Chloe asked curiously.
Taking a deep breath, Brady thought over his answer. He couldn't say because he wanted to be the one in bed with her, even if it was just innocent. He couldn't say that he was the one he wanted her to betray her vows for. Or that he wanted a forbidden relationship with her. "Whatever I want. I get. Whatever I attempt, I succeed. You will be a Jedi because I said so, and I will make it happen. And for that to happen, you will not see Master Kenobi or Anakin Skywalker. Ever again."
"I see. Then perhaps I will not be a Jedi." She said turning around and nodding to Anakin and Obi-Wan before storming away from her Master once more, never stopping as she disappeared from sight.
"Was it something I said?" Brady asked himself as he slumped down against the wall, trying to begin to figure out how he could even attempt to make this fiasco right.
"Get up." Brady said through gritted teeth as Obi-Wan starred on in shock, unable to speak, seeing his own Padawan, and the girl of his…well Chloe…in bed together. As he stood there, the action around him seemed to move in slow motion. He watched as Brady went to the bed and grabbed the back of Anakin, pulling him down onto the floor, the blanket tumbling down with him. "I said get up." He seethed as Anakin awoke with shock, finally registering what was happening. He stood up, wrapping the blanket around his waist, as he looked at his Master, who had a look of disbelief on his face, then turned to the raging man before him, then back to the bed where Obi-Wan's eyes still lay. As he watched the form in the bed begin to stir, he felt an iron grip wrap around his neck and slam him into the wall. With the sickening thud as he smashed against the solid wall, Anakin groaned loudly, causing the person in his bed to sit up quickly, aghast at the sight before her. Jumping up, uncaring of her appearance in the thin nightgown, her luxurious hair, tumbled down past her waist in ringlets, all she could see was what Brady was doing to Anakin.
"Get away from him!" She yelled trying to push Brady's hands off Anakin's throat. "This isn't what it looks like!" She turned her eyes around the room, looking for anything to stop this madness, her eyes finally lying on Obi-Wan, who looked at her only in disappointment. "Ben." She pleaded with her eyes but he turned away from her gaze, unable to bear what he had just seen. She stood in the middle of the room, between Ani and Brady and Obi-Wan, watching as Brady applied more pressure, Anakin's hands reaching up to try to push him away. Finally Chloe looked deep within herself and called out to the Force, and managed, with all of her might, to push Brady off of Anakin, throwing him across the room and into the opposite wall, as both he and Anakin slumped down breathless. Running to Anakin she leaned down next to him. "Are you alright?" She asked, as he nodded, but she knew that he wasn't. She could already see the rage building in his eyes. "Don't." She said forcefully as she placed her palm upon his chest, his eyes gazing into hers as he slowly calmed down, knowing full well that the rage inside him would only make this situation worse. Standing up, Chloe tried to compose herself, passing a destroyed Obi-Wan who's eyes lay on the floor, then over to Brady who sat still on the floor, his head in his hands.
"I want you to leave." She said staring down at him. "You have no right, to come into Anakin's room and attack him. You have a problem with your vision Master Black. You see things that are not there, and this is not the first time." She said with a calm anger as Brady slowly lifted his head, his eyes unreadable.
"If I am leaving." He paused attempting to stand up, wincing slightly from the pain in his back, shocked at the amount of skill Chloe had. "Then you are coming with me. I am full aware of what I walked in on. You in bed with another Padawan, who just so happened to be naked."
"Was I naked?" She asked as her Master gazed over her body.
"You might as well be." He said taking in her appearance. Had he not just seen her in bed with another man, he would have taken her right there. Her gorgeous hair flowing down to her backside, her face and bosom flushed red, and her curvaceous body clinging to the sheer nightgown. Assets that were well hidden underneath her Jedi robes. Assets he should not be noticing or wanting to take advantage of. And that was entirely the problem. As she continued to feel his gaze burn into her she crossed her arms in front of her chest, finally aware of her appearance.
"It was not what it looked like." She said softly trying to make him believe, but seeing no trust in his eyes. Turning away from him she walked to Obi-Wan. She attempted to reach out and lift his head but pulled back swiftly, remembering that there were others in the room. Knowing her struggle, Obi-Wan looked up, his soulful eyes staring into hers. "You must know that I would never…it wasn't what it appeared to be. Nothing went on other than two close friends falling asleep in bed together. In no way intentional. You know how Ani sleeps naked. But he was covered. I was covered. I would never betray my vows with Anakin." She said the last two words lower than the rest. "It was a mistake to fall asleep in here. But we did nothing." She pleaded. "You must believe that."
"I do." Obi-Wan said finally speaking. "I believe you Chloe." He said staring past her to Anakin, who had now sat on the bed, who nodded slowly, as his Master finally understood. "But it still hurt to see." He whispered low enough so only Chloe could hear. "I won't deny that."
"I understand." She whispered back, taking a step back from the intense situation, turning back to Brady.
"Master. I am sorry for missing our appointment, and for being where I should not. I never meant for this to happen, and I will never allow it to happen again." She said sincerely as she tried to rectify the situation.
"You're right. This will not happen again." He said walking over to her. "For you are not to see young Skywalker again. Or Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. That is unless you would like me to go to the council with this." Brady said trying to control all of his emotions, feeling that this solution was the only way to do so.
"You can't do that!" Chloe yelled. "It was a mistake. I was speaking with my closest friend in the entire galaxy and we fell asleep. I cannot help it that Anakin is weird and sleeps in the nude. But I did not betray my vows."
"I don't care. I believe you that you didn't. And I am sorry that I once again acted rashly." He said, mostly directing the apology at Anakin, who ignored the man fully. "But Chloe, this situation will not happen again. None of these will. You are to stay away from both Master Kenobi and his apprentice. I am telling you as your Master, and you will listen to me."
"I will listen to you? Have we not had this conversation already? You may be my Master, but I am not your slave Brady Black. You cannot tell me who to be close with, who to share my life with. I made a mistake. Not Anakin. Not Master Obi-Wan. Do not punish them for my mistake of coming to a friend to talk. For staying when I should have left. For your anger and jealousy. Master Kenobi is not making Anakin stay away. He realizes that this was a one-time occurrence, considering the length of mine and Anakin's friendship. And he realizes that it will not happen again." She said as Obi-Wan nodded
"You hold yourself very highly Chloe if you think that their lives would end without you in it." Brady said staring at the two men.
"It would." Anakin said finally speaking. "She keeps me grounded. Through all of these years I surely would have not made it this far without her. And my Master of course. But I highly doubt that I would even still be a Padawan if it were not for Chloe."
"Isn't this heartwarming." Brady said.
"It is true." Obi-Wan said. "Chloe is of great importance in both of our lives, and I am more than certain that without her in it, they will not be as fulfilling and-"
"Of course you would say that." Brady said bitterly. "But it means nothing. She is my Padawan and this is what will be done. And personally I can say that my life with Chloe in it, however short, is none of the things that you say."
"You are a cold, unfeeling bastard." Chloe spat out. "No wonder the Council put you out alone in the middle of nowhere!"
"Yeah, well they think I am the perfect match for you kid. So, that must be saying something about you!"
"You know you are a broken record. It's the same thing spouted from your mouth again and again. And just when I think we are making headway, you allow your feelings to take control. Your inadequacies or your jealousy or whatever it is. Perhaps Jedi Master Black, are the one who needs to be taught. Because this is not how a Jedi, or even a person, acts."
"And you know how a Jedi acts? Because it is certainly not this. A Jedi does not lay with another person. Or develop attachments to people. This is not how a Jedi acts Chloe."
"Why do you care so much? You certainly do not want the job of my Master. You have told me as such, even though you are doing it for the Council. It is apparent that you do not like me as a person, so why do you care so much about what I do. Why do you let your feelings affect you so when it concerns me? Can you can answer me that Master Black?" Chloe asked curiously.
Taking a deep breath, Brady thought over his answer. He couldn't say because he wanted to be the one in bed with her, even if it was just innocent. He couldn't say that he was the one he wanted her to betray her vows for. Or that he wanted a forbidden relationship with her. "Whatever I want. I get. Whatever I attempt, I succeed. You will be a Jedi because I said so, and I will make it happen. And for that to happen, you will not see Master Kenobi or Anakin Skywalker. Ever again."
"I see. Then perhaps I will not be a Jedi." She said turning around and nodding to Anakin and Obi-Wan before storming away from her Master once more, never stopping as she disappeared from sight.
"Was it something I said?" Brady asked himself as he slumped down against the wall, trying to begin to figure out how he could even attempt to make this fiasco right.