First chap = disclaimers.

Yes, I'm finally updating, don't give me that nasty look ;)

Jedi-sylvar: Jaina, hmm well I guess you'll have to wait and see.

HeidiM: The potato salad seems to be the most commented on part. As for Ani, he's going to be going through some rough times coming up.

Mordant: Changing names? Well here is your update. I updated my other SW story too, so you get two on one day!

Jedi-jainafel: Well, you get to see how Obi-Wan reacts in this chapter. (Sorry he turned out so cranky, but he was mirroring my mood at the time *Shrugs*)

Pheonix Wolf: Yes, I am planning something, but there are a lack of evil minions to build it for me.

Lynx (and Vader): Hmm another update for Lynx, and here's a to-go container of potato salad for Vader. Choose your dumping ground wisely.

Cammy: Hmmm, I wonder if you could kill the entire Skywalker/Solo clan? Best not to try it I think, it gets too expensive patching them up all the time. Maybe – Stress on Maybe—I'll have them be nice to Ani.

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Obi-wan stared at his apprentice as he pulled himself up off the training mat. "You're distracted by something and it isn't the fight from last night."

"Yes. Its just that, well I usually meet someone about this time and."

"And you're late for your appointment?"

"Yes, Master."

"Well then, why don't you go introduce me to your companion."

"Are you sure? I mean we haven't decided when to break the actual news of who you are to the rest of the galaxy."

Obi-Wan's eyebrows narrowed. "I am sure my apprentice. Now, lead on."

Anakin was sweating. Obi-Wan was going to kill him, no doubt about it. Tahiri came in sight she waved and bounded over.

"ANAKIN," she half squealed half demanded, "Where were you? I thought you weren't coming."

"I was training."

Tahiri glanced over at Obi-Wan. He didn't look happy. He had felt the underlying attraction between them the instant that she came into view. He wanted to pound his head into the wall. Did all of his apprentices have to go hormonal around 18 or 19? Then again, all of his apprentices had been Skywalkers. It had to run in the blood.

"Hi!" Tahiri's voice startled him from his unpleasant train of thought. Ugh, she was more smitten than Anakin was. At least Padme had the dignity to play footsy with Ani when Obi-Wan wasn't around. This one was head-over-heels and proud of it. So, much for the celibate Jedi days.

"I am honored to meet you Miss?"

"Tahiri. You must have been training with Anakin. I haven't seen you around. Are you a new student?"

"No, I'm a very old student. I'm so old, I'm Anakin's Master."

Anakin failed at hiding his horrified look. Obi-Wan had somehow in a total of one minute deduced the whole situation with Tahiri and was not happy. Obi-Wan had been moody enough after last night, now, he was really cranky. And, he was going to make Anakin pay for it. Whoever said Jedi Masters weren't vindictive needed to get their historical facts right.

"Your Master? Anakin, you didn't tell me he was here."

"He didn't get in until yesterday, I didn't even know he was coming."

"Yes, he was very preoccupied. But who wouldn't be around such pleasant company."

Tahiri blushed at the compliment. Anakin blushed out of 1/3 mortification, 1/3 jealousy, and 1/3 irritation.

"I'm honored to be one of the first people he introduced you to. What is your name?"

"Obi-Wan Kenobi, but you can call me Ben if you like. Well I must be going. Have a good afternoon you two."

With that, Obi-Wan left Anakin to stumble through a rather long explanation to Tahiri.

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Mara glanced icily at Luke when he entered their kitchen. "So, have you been able to contact poor, mistreated, angelic Callista?"

"You don't have to be nasty about it, Mara."

"Oh yes I do. You, who claim to be so in love with me, adamantly defended her honor to four men whose lives she made absolutely miserable. You ignored a Jedi Master, Your Father, Your Beloved Ben Kenobi, Your Kidnapped Nephew, and Your WIFE, in favor of her."

"Allright, I made a mistake. Callista skipped town when the news of Anakin hit. Han is checking with Lando, but they think she went into Hutt Space."

"You made a mistake? So that makes me?"

Luke Sighed. "It makes you right."

"And that makes you?"

"It makes me wrong."

"And you are going to?"

"Buy you a new paint job for your ship, a room full of roses and an expensive dinner?"

"Ah, Farmboy, it's a good thing I can't stay mad at you long. Otherwise, I would have shot you by now."

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Jacen smiled placidly at his father. He, Han, and Chewie had basically bugged out of the Academy rooms to the hangar bay after Jaina went on her patrol shift that morning. Leia had been unbearable. One minute she was cursing Ani's every breath, the next she was chastising herself for being so hard on him. Han had spent last night and the early morning hours being understanding. Then, he finally said that Leia was being inconsiderate, and that for a woman who had a statue dedicated to Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight she was being rather unforgiving.

That quip got both him and Chewie kicked out of the room Luke set aside for them. Jacen had heard the commotion and decided to hide from his Mother's wrath. Now, Han was in a bad mood and he and Chewie were yelling back and forth at each other while they worked on the Falcon. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a cloaked figure slide along the side of the building.

Curious he followed it. He gained on it quickly, his Jedi training making him faster. The figure bent over and began to sort through a garbage can. Suspicious, Jacen started to make a move to grab the figure's hand, and found himself promptly pinned against the wall, three feet off the ground.

Looking down he could see his grandfather staring up at him. He felt Ani gently let him down.

"Never sneak up on me, Jacen. I have lived in many echelons of society, all of them trained me to react very quickly when someone follows you."

Jacen looked at him suspiciously. "What are you doing with our refuse?"

"Digging through it. Is there a rule I don't know about the garbage?"

"No, but what could you possibly want in there?"

"Oh, well I was hoping you had conveniently left a red crystal in here that I could use the darkside on and fashion a lightsaber. That way, I could overtake the entire Jedi Order in one fell swoop and rule the Galaxy. My family is pretty pathetic at the moment, and Obi-Wan will probably suffer a breakdown before I reach him, so I won't have much serious opposition."

Jacen blushed. "I didn't mean to sound, well, that is to say…"

"You didn't mean to sound like a paranoid Jedi having a conversation with Darth Vader?"

Jacen sighed. "I'm making a total ass of myself with everyone lately."

"Yes, Anakin told me. In my experience, if you don't mind, whenever I was being an ass I usually had something I was hiding. If you just let it out in the open, you could avoid some very serious problems later. Bottling it up won't help."

Jacen blanched. He didn't expect Ani to read him so easily. "Well, I mean, I thought I'd dealt with it."

"Obviously you haven't if you're reacting on it. Why don't you tell me? Trust me; I highly doubt you've done anything worse than what I've done."

Jacen shook his head and sat down on the ground by the dumpster. Ani mirrored his movements and sat facing him. "The family will hate me when they find out."

"Jedi don't hate. That eliminates a good portion of the family circle."

Jacen let his eyes glaze over as he stared at nothing. "I heard him leave."

"What?"

"The night Anakin left. I heard him leave. I thought it was funny that the door was opening at that time of night, but I just didn't get up and check."

"It was an honest mistake, Jacen. You weren't that old to take the blame."

"You don't understand. Anakin had made the presents for me and Jaina. I had been complaining about them to her in the kitchen after Anakin went to bed. But, I think he heard me."

"You think his life is your fault."

"Of course his life is my fault. I drove him to leave. Then I didn't check on him when I heard him leave. How else would you interpret that?"

"I would interpret that as highly egotistical."

Jacen stared at him. His grandfather wasn't of the darkside, he was just plain nuts.

"You in your two ignorant and childish acts are going to take credit for a boy's entire life? Anakin's life could very well save the Jedi from extinction for a second time. Plus, he has had one of the best apprenticeships that there has ever been."

Jacen shook his head. "You have a strange point of view. Anakin has had a terrible life, and you and Obi-Wan would have warned us."

"True, we would have warned you had we been able to escape without Anakin's help, but perhaps not. Perhaps without Anakin running away, we would just be more minions under Callista's control. I'm not saying what you did was right, but you were still a child and you cannot hold yourself to the guidelines of adult behavior. But, you must hold yourself to them now. What has happened has happened, you cannot change it. You can only change what you do in the present and in the future."

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Anakin smiled as he sauntered along the corridors of the Academy. Jacen had taken him part hunting, and he had a happy collection tucked under his belt and stowed in his hands. His steps slowed as he saw Luke staring out the window at the dusk.

What was that speech he gave Jacen earlier about changing the present and future? Resignedly, he made his way over to his son.

"Luke, don't look like that, your face will freeze that way."

Luke's eyebrows got buried in his hair. Did he just hear correctly?

"Father?"

"Call me Ani, if you want to, I don't think I really deserve the title."

Luke smiled wanly, Ani was the person he'd imagined him to be. Somehow, that made his life seem better.

"I think 'Father' is an appropriate title. I have fond memories of the last time I called you that."

"And Obi-Wan thinks I'm strange. No wonder he went prematurely grey. What did you do as a child; kill womp rats in the circulation vents?"

Luke laughed despite himself then sobered. "Its kind of strange given what has been going on, but I'm a little down at the moment."

"That's not strange."

"No, its what I'm down about. I think I made Obi-Wan mad at me, but I don't know what I did."

"My guess is that you've never had to deal with mood swing Obi. He can get rather cranky sometimes, right now he's in full swing."

"He was cranky when I started to talk to him earlier, but then I said that I agreed with you guys and he brightened up. Thing were going along fine. Then, all of a sudden, he was really icy and distant. I felt like I was dealing with a Senator. He made a very formal bow and excused himself."

"That's not like Obi-Wan. You didn't call anyone clumsy did you?"

"What? NO, I mean why would that upset him?"

"Its just one of his pet peeves. Let's see. Hmmm. What did you say right before you noticed his attitude change?"

"I think we were talking about that Jinn person that came with you guys. I asked Ben if he was sure we could trust him because he seems a bit reckless to me."

Ani hung his head and tried desperately not to laugh. "Luke, if I were you, I would go grovel to Obi-Wan and apologize. And never, ever say anything mean about Qui-Gon in front of him again."