Thank you so much for your kind reviews! I wish I had the time to reply to each one individually. Please know that I greatly appreciate them!
-
Obi-Wan, Yoda and Padme were sitting again in the center of the hut. Yoda was thoroughly enjoying the tea and cookies. He studied Obi-Wan over his cup. "The whole story of what happened to you, I want to hear."
Padme spoke up first. "The whole thing was my fault."
"Padme!" Obi-Wan didn't want her going down that road again.
"It is, Obi! I'm the whole reason you came out of hiding and got captured." Padme proceeded to tell Yoda how the whole thing began. Obi-Wan joined in and together they explained all that had transpired.
Yoda took in every detail, only nodding his head once and a while. He kept his face neutral, but his distress at hearing what Obi-Wan went through was evident in his eyes.
Obi-Wan leaned in towards Yoda. "My oneness with the Force was so different than what I've experienced before – it was so complete, so profound. I know the Force was helping me."
Yoda nodded, eyes closing in concentration. "Helping you the Force WAS. Plans for you the Force still has. Tired the Force is of being used by the Dark Side. Greatly attracted to your light it was."
Padme beamed at Obi-Wan. "See, I told you that you are light!"
Obi-Wan gave her a wry look. "Yes, over and over again."
Yoda smiled slightly. "Listen to her, you should." He studied Obi-Wan again. "Told me everything, you have not."
Obi-Wan glanced at Padme. "Well, it's rather…unbelievable, and kind of hard to put into words."
Padme jumped in. "I'll put it into words." She ignored Obi-Wan's warning look. Padme focused her eyes on Yoda while pointing at Obi-Wan. "This man was actually able to bring about feelings of affection in Sidious!"
Yoda could not hide his surprise.
Padme continued. "Not just any sort of affection, but FATHERLY affection! It's absolutely incredible!" She turned and grinned at Obi-Wan in time to find him rolling his eyes. That didn't deter her. "Nothing Obi said or did angered him."
Padme scooted closer to Yoda as she continued. She didn't want to give Obi-Wan a chance to downplay this event. "Sidious made it clear from the beginning that he wanted Obi on his side. He had said that he wanted Obi to be his second apprentice."
Yoda's eyes widened. "Second apprentice? Unheard of that is with the Sith."
Padme dove back in. "That was his intention at first, but I believe that changed as time went on. I got the distinct impression that Sidious wasn't too happy with Vader. But his reaction when Vader almost killed Obi clinched it."
Obi-Wan's curiosity was piqued. "How did he react?"
"First of all, Sidious must have felt you were close to death through the Force, because he came running through the door right after you lost consciousness. He saw you hanging limply from the chains and screamed at Vader. You know, now that I think of it, Sidious personally released you from the chains. And he laid you down so gently. Then he sent Vader flying into the back wall!" Padme couldn't help but laugh at the memory. "Vader hit his head so hard, I'm surprised he didn't have a concussion! Sidious held him up against the wall with the Force. I thought he was going to kill Vader right then and there. Obviously, he didn't. But he did say, 'If Obi-Wan dies, so do you.'"
Yoda looked at Obi-Wan, who appeared to be speechless. "Remarkable this is."
Padme turned back to Yoda. "It wasn't long before Sidious sent Vader away on a mission. I think he just wanted Vader out of his sight. I believe that Sidious decided then and there to REPLACE Vader with Obi-Wan." Padme turned to Obi-Wan with a bright smile. "Okay, you can tell the rest of the story." Her smile disappeared as a thought hit her. She turned back to Yoda. "Ask him HOW he came to know of Sidious' fatherly affection."
Yoda watched Padme cross her arms and hit Obi-Wan with a stern expression. "Okay, how know you?"
Obi-Wan sighed. He had the feeling that Yoda wasn't going to like what he did either. "While Sidious was doing the second mind probe on me, I used his probe into my mind as a way to access his."
"WHAT?"
Obi-Wan felt like a first-year padawan again under the little master's glare. "I wasn't in there long. Sidious felt me in his mind and closed me out."
"Very dangerous what you did is!" Yoda thumped his stick on the ground for emphasis.
"I know, Master. But I felt I had to try. Sidious wasn't angry that I did it. He was simply…amazed that I was brazen enough to try it." Obi-Wan tried not to fidget. Both Yoda and Padme were looking at him like angry parents.
"Hmmph! Risked too much you did, Obi-Wan." Yoda's gaze finally softened. "Felt through the Force I did, when you almost died." Yoda's heart hurt at just the remembrance. "Very difficult to bear your loss would be."
Obi-Wan had never thought to hear such words from Yoda. "Thank you, Master. I'm…I'm sorry if I distressed you."
Yoda sighed. "Did what you felt you had to do, you did."
Padme felt bad for heaping guilt on Obi-Wan. She moved over to him and took his hand. "No matter what they did to him, he never gave into the darkness. He was amazing."
Yoda moved over to Obi-Wan and placed a clawed hand on his arm. "Know this I do. Proud of you I am, Obi-Wan."
"Thank you, Master." Obi-Wan lowered his eyes. He was embarrassed by all the attention.
Yoda moved back to his cushion. "Disturbed I am by this turn of events. Stop hunting for you the Emperor will not. And Vader…revenge on his mind will be."
Padme's attention drifted from the conversation. She couldn't help but wonder if Vader had received what she'd left for him. She hadn't told Obi-Wan about it and had no intention of doing so. She knew he would not approve. But she had done what she felt she had to do – what her heart had needed for her to do. She noticed Obi-Wan give her a sideways glance. Padme did her best to push the thoughts out of her mind. She fervently hoped Obi-Wan wouldn't question her about it.
-
Sidious couldn't help but smile as he read the datapad. Oh, Vader is going to LOVE this! He cackled as he got up and strode out of his office at Imperial Headquarters. He walked into Vader's office and deposited the datapad on the desk.
The smile stayed on his face as he walked to the landing pad. Vader was due to arrive any minute. He had been dreading having Vader back. He had wanted to have Obi-Wan at his side as his apprentice by now. He had wanted to be rid of Vader. But now he had some pleasure in Vader's return – sadistic pleasure. The Emperor firmly locked his mental shields as Vader's shuttle arrived.
Vader strode down the ramp and bowed to the Emperor. "Mission accomplished, Master."
The Emperor started heading back inside. "Well done, Vader."
"Master, I felt a…disturbance in the Force a couple of days ago. Has something happened?" Vader knew that something had happened, but wasn't sure what.
"Obi-Wan and Padme have escaped."
Vader stopped dead in his tracks. "WHAT? How?"
"They were rescued by people dressed as Stormtroopers. It was rather brilliantly done. They escaped without a trace. No one saw anything. They got off planet, we know that much." Sidious wasn't about to tell Vader that he partially blamed himself for his lack of vigilence.
Anger flowed through Vader. "I can't believe Obi-Wan is out of my grasp again! I will find him and I will kill him!"
The Emperor stopped and pointed a bony finger at Vader's chest. "You will NOT kill him. So help me Vader, if you do, you will be as good as dead yourself."
Vader was stunned. Why would his master still want Obi-Wan alive, after all he'd done, even after escaping? If it were anyone else, he knew that his master would want that person dead. Jealousy flared within him.
Sidious continued walking. He could feel Vader's jealousy. Good. He should be jealous of Obi-Wan. Sidious stopped in front of the door to Vader's office and waited for Vader to catch up. "There are some things on your desk requiring your attention, including a note left by your former wife." Sidious turned and headed for his office, smiling gleefully at the shock emanating from Vader. He would leave all senses attuned to his apprentice for a while. He was really going to enjoy this.
Vader entered his office and saw the datapad on his desk. He hesitantly picked it up and started to read.
Vader,
There are some things that I had to say to you, once and for all. You seem to have forgotten a few things in your 'transformation.' I felt the need to remind you… If you had truly loved me, you never would have been able to turn your back on me the way you did. Did you ever really love me, or was I just an obsession that you had to possess? The promise of power wouldn't have been an enticement if you had truly meant the vows you spoke to me on our wedding day. You broke your vows and you broke my heart.
The Jedi took you in when they didn't have to. They took a chance on you, even though most thought you were too old to begin training. They placed you with Obi-Wan, a Jedi most young ones would have loved to have as their master. You were with a great Jedi, a great master and a great man. Did you appreciate that fact? No. You grew more and more jealous of the respect and affection others readily showed him. You felt that, being the Chosen One, you should always be the center of attention. Instead of listening to Obi-Wan's wise counsel, you defied him. Instead of showing your master loyalty, you showed him rebellion and arrogance. He loved you too, very much. And I thought that you had loved him. But again, if you had truly loved him, you wouldn't have been able to turn your back on him and then try to kill him! You blame Obi-Wan for all of YOUR failings. He did not fail, you did. You made your own choices. You have no one to blame but yourself.
Obi-Wan Kenobi is strong, courageous, powerful, loyal, dependable and full of light. Obi-Wan knows the true meaning of love. He has stood by me through thick and thin. He has risked his life for me time and time again. He has given me reassurance, strength, fierce loyalty and unconditional love. He has given me all of the things that I had once hoped to receive from you, but didn't. My heart is now and forevermore Obi-Wan's. You no longer have any residence there. You are dead to me. I hope that I never have to lay eyes on you again.
Padme
Sidious sat in his chair with his eyes closed, smiling at the torrent of emotions coming from his apprentice. Suddenly, a howl of rage hit his ears. His smile got bigger.
