Fade Away
Chapter 2

Anakin walked into the area outside the council's meeting room and saw Maddik looking out one of the windows while Obi-Wan argued with someone about what was going on inside the meeting room. He crossed over to the small boy and looked out the window to see what he was so interested in but saw nothing.

"I have a weird feeling..." Maddik said quietly, not looking away from the window.

"What kind of feeling?" Anakin asked, looking down at him.

Maddik looked up slowly at Anakin, "Something bad's going to happen..."

Anakin stared at him for a moment before something caught his eye outside the window. He turned in time to see a fighter coming straight toward the window.

"Obi-Wan, get down!" Anakin yelled, grabbing Maddik and jumping out of the way of the window.

He fell atop the boy to protect him from flying glass.

Later That Day

"You don't understand..." Anakin was trying to explain to Obi-Wan, "He knew the fighter was gonna hit the glass...before it happened!"

"There is no way for him to know that without having learned the knowledge of the force..." Obi-Wan argued back, "And not even Yoda can predict the future completely. The future is constantly in motion! It can not be predicted completely..."

"You're just trying to protect him!" he hissed and stormed off.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan called after him but was ignored.

Obi-Wan sat down and rested his head in his hands, letting out a long sigh.

"...Master Obi-Wan?" Maddik's voice came.

Obi-Wan looked up to see the boy right before him, starring curiously at the frustrated Jedi.

"Yes, my boy," Obi-Wan adopted a cheerful tone, "What can I do for you?"

"Is something wrong?" Maddik asked in his soft, young voice.

"No..." Obi-Wan lied, "Just a little tired, I suppose..."

Maddik looked down at the ground as if his feet were the most interesting thing in the galaxy.

"But I must say..." Obi-Wan added, noting the thoughtful look on Maddik's face, "It seems as though something might be troubling you...May I ask what?"

"...I don't think Anakin likes me..." Maddik shrugs.

"He's just aggrivated at the moment," Obi-Wan assured him, resting his hand on the boy's shoulder, "No need in taking it personally..."

"But I thought Jedi didn't get angry..." Maddik tilted his head to one side.

Obi-Wan's smile faded and he looked away as he thought on Maddik's words.

Meanwhile, Anakin burst into his and Padme's home, slamming the door and kicking at the ground. Padme hurried into the room with a worried expression on her face.

"Anny?" Padme asked in her sweet, soothing voice, "What's wrong?"

"Obi-Wan won't believe me about the boy!" Annakin ranted, "He's taking his side over mine!"

"I'm sure it's not like that..." she stroked his hair, "He's just under a lot of stress and...his judgement is clouded! It will be alright, I promise..."

Anakin smiled and pulled her close into his arms.

"You are the only thing in my life that makes sense..." he said softly, kissing her on the forehead.

She smiled up at him and pushed a strand of hair from his face, "And you are the only thing in my life that could be this special to me..."

"Master Kanobi..." a woman approached the two, "The council will see you now..."

She smiled at him and Maddik and walked toward the meeting room, followed by Obi-Wan and Maddik.

"No need to be nervous..." Obi-Wan said to Maddik as they walked toward the room.

"I'm not nervous anymore," Maddik smiled.

"Huh...He's not nervous..." Obi-Wan said under his breath, "Good thing one of us isn't..."