…Disclaimer: We don't own Star Wars. We are not George Lucas…

…Acknowledgments: Co-written with Seylin. Inspired by George Lucas' film, Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith…

…Warnings: Slash (Obi-WanxAnakin, implied Qui-GonxObi-Wan)…

…Rating: R/NC-17 (Please view Seylin's page for a link to the full version.)…

…Summary: Anakin's black and white world of the Jedi way has been stripped away by Palpatine's corruption. After the battle on Mustafar, Obi-Wan and Yoda are determined to get it back for him. But, with Padmé gone, will Anakin be willing to hear them out at all? The Jedi will need help, if they plan to save their Chosen One, and Senator Amidala has left them with exactly the help they need…

...Archive: Go for it, just ask first...

...Aubrey's Crap: Happy 4th of July! And, a very special happy birthday to angeLA sweet. I love this chapter so much, I don't feel bad about posting it early. (But, now you have to wait until chapter eleven for my favourite chapter.) Anywho, somethings one must remember! First, let us remember that Palpatine killed Mace Windu, Agen Kolar, Saesee Tiin, and Kit Fisto, single handedly, then had a spectacular fight with Yoda, and defeated him. (Even though Yoda survived.) What he does in this chapter is nothing too out of the ordinary, for a Sith Lord. Next, please remember that Anakin is the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy, to begin with, and then he just gets stronger when he gets pissed off. (And, boy, is he ever pissed off in this chapter...) Again, nothing beyond possible. So, no complaining about something not making sense, in those two scenes, yes? Yes. Okay. Please enjoy...

Monochrome Shatter
Chapter 5: Wear the Grudge Like A Crown

Padmé's grave

Obi-Wan entered the building with a special code that only a few knew so they could get inside. Everyone else was refrained to staying outside to pay their respects; it was a way to keep others from vandalizing her final resting place. He smiled down sadly; she looked the same she had the day of her funeral. The glass placed over her and the special gas placed inside kept her well preserved.

"Hello, Padmé. I sorry I haven't come to visit for a while, things have been busy. Luke is getting so big; he's started to take shaky steps. I think he will start talking soon. Anakin has been getting better every day..." he started, and continued, telling her everything that had happened since his last visit. As he told her about earlier that night he realized that it had been five hours since he arrived. "I should be going, Padmé. I told Anakin not to wait up but you never know about him," he finished. He turned to leave and then remembered the ring Anakin had given him.

"Oh. I almost forgot this. Anakin said he bought it before you died but never had the chance to give it to you." He laid the ring on top of the glass. "Goodbye, Padmé." And with that he left.

The Emperor was in a bad mood. He'd heard from inside intelligence that Darth Vader had been brainwashed by those Jedi fool…again. It irritated him to no end that he couldn't keep a decent apprentice, with the Order still intact. He couldn't believe Obi-Wan and Yoda had survived his command 66, either. Of all the rotten luck! But, he had a plan that he felt sure wouldn't fail, this time. A direct one-on-one assault on Kenobi and the troll. This time, he would over see it himself. This time, the Jedi wouldn't get away, even if he had to skewer them both with a lightsaber himself.
Obi-Wan wrapped his cloak about himself hoping to ward off the cool night air. Although the city never slept, things were not as busy as they usually were. He had not driven his speeder, on the nights he visited Padmé he liked to think on the way there and on the way back.

"Now," Palpatine muttered to his clone troopers, upon catching sight of the Jedi Master. "Get him now. Go."

Before Obi-Wan could even react to the alarms going off in his mind he was grabbed from behind by his attackers' arms. Six energies he felt, five of which were weaker than the one, those five were the ones that held him. He didn't need to be told twice whose energy it was. It was the man he had promised Anakin he would refrain from killing because he wanted the pleasure of it... Palpatine. Obi-Wan struggled against the 10 hands holding him but to no avail.

"Palpatine..." he growled. "What the hell do you want?"

"Revenge...or, I suppose you could call it legal punishment." He smiled his twisted smile, and stepped toward him. "For theft and treason." Small flecks of spit flew from his mouth, landing on Obi-Wan's face, as he spoke.

"Theft and treason of what! I have never touched you, as much as I've wanted to kill you," Obi-Wan spat back.

"Theft of my apprentice, and trusted advisor," He read the charges off smugly. "And treason against your emperor, Supreme Chancellor, and the Republic, or Empire, itself."

"You are no emperor!" Obi-Wan yelled continuing his struggle against those holding

him. If he could just get to his lightsaber...

"According to the Senate's votes, and a deep concern for the Republic's safety." He drew his own lightsaber out, for defence of course, and nodded to his clones to begin. "That is incorrect, Master Kenobi."

Pain flooded his senses as he slowly came to. There were forces still around him but they had all blended into one at some point. His COM link lay inches away from his stretched out bloody hand. He groaned as he tried to reach for it.

Palatine cackled softly, and walked off with his troopers, stepping on the com. as he went. It didn't appear to be broken though...

'No...' he thought hoping it wasn't broken. Every single part of his body hurt as he tried to move forward to get it. His fingertips brushed it and then it slid towards his hand. He thumb curled pressing the button that would contact R2-D2.

The COM link flickered to life, it's screen flashing telling him he didn't have long, the screen was also cracked. A beep and whistle from R2 was the reply he got.

"...R2...et...Ana...kin...elp..." he managed before darkness claimed him.

Anakin was just lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling and speaking softly to Padmé, when R2 came looking from him. He had to admit, he was rather irritated when he heard a knock on the door. Had Obi-Wan forgotten his key-card or something? Either way, he got up and went to see who it was, blinking in confusion when he saw who it was.

"Artoo? Is something wrong?" R2-D2 beeped and whistled so fast that he almost couldn't understand. If he went any faster, he was sure the little bot would have a circuit meltdown.

"Slow down," Anakin ordered after a couple minutes of this. "What about Obi-Wan?" R2 beeped again and replayed the message he had gotten from Obi-Wan's COM link.

Anakin growled, and cursed, upon hearing that. He went back into his room, grabbed his lightsaber, put that on his belt, before going into Luke's room, grabbing him, and heading out the front door. First things first, put Luke in his nanny's hands. Once that was done, he set out trying to sense Obi-Wan and find him. Hopefully then, he'd be able to find out who did it. He didn't need to do much interrogating, once he got there, though. The entire area stunk of Palpatine.

"Artoo," he muttered darkly, upon arriving. "I need you to contact some medical droids, to get him to a hospital," he ordered very clearly. "Use remote contact methods, I need you to stay with him. And, be quick about it. I'll find you both later, right now I have some business to take care of." Like...going and beating the snot out of Palpatine, for one.

R2 beeped and rolled over to Obi-Wan's unconscious form. He started to contact the nearest hospital. It wasn't long before they arrived and transported him to the hospital, alerting Yoda of the situation.

If Palpatine had been angry before...Anakin was livid, as he approached the Chancellor's office, he did a dandy job of hiding it, though, as he allowed the Redrobes to show him in.

"Good evening, Chancellor," he greeted, cloak hiding his lightsabers handle just fine. He didn't plan to lose this fight...he would avenge Obi-Wan, and get revenge for all that he and Padmé had gone through, because of this man.

Palpatine raised his eyes, surprised to see Anakin. He stood coming around his desk.

"Anakin, my boy! It is so good to see you. It's been so horrible listening to the endless trash those remaining two Jedi have been feeding your mind with. I'm sorry I haven't been able to get you away from them," he explained.

"It's quite all right, Chancellor." Anakin nodded to him, with a polite, thin smile. "But, I'm afraid today's visit isn't a social call."

"Then do tell me to what honour I can owe the pleasure of this visir?" Palpatine said.

"I fear...I'm not at all pleased with the way things have been going, Chancellor." Anakin admitted slowly, deliberately. "You see...you lied to me. You said I could save Padmé, but that wasn't true. I don't appreciate being lied to--nor do I appreciate the assault that you yourself committed against General Kenobi."

"Lie? But I have never lied to you my boy. General Kenobi? Has something befallen him?" The Chancellor questioned, although inside his heart had started to pound.

"You're lying again," Anakin stated, trying to remain seemingly calm. "The area around where I found him wreaked of you. You and your clones. And...honestly, I think assaulting a military official in an unfair, non-war related setting might be considered an offence." He reached down to his belt, and withdrew his saber, pushing the button to activate it, and brandishing the humming blue blade at the old man before him. "One worthy of execution, don't you agree, Chancellor?"

"I...I...I don't know what you're talking about..." Palpatine stammered backing away.

"I think you do know," Anakin corrected. "I defended you. I broke every rule the Jedi have, for you. And for Padmé, because you told me that you'd teach me to save her. But, you didn't. You took everything I hoped to have away from me, Emperor. So, now, I'm going to take your own advice, and destroy you with it." A dark, feral smirk curled his lips, as he started forward. "All those who have power fear only to lose it," he quoted, advancing step by steady step. "Kill without mercy, pity, or hesitation." He stopped, his saber mere inches from Palpatine's chest. "I should have let Master Windu kill you, when he had the chance," he snarled angrily. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't avenge him--avenge them all right now."

Palpatine's mouth opened and closed, he tried to make words come out but nothing did.

"I'm sure the Senate won't mind having you forcefully removed from office." he commented, raising his free hand up, and making a pinching motion in the air, like he had with Padmé, on Mustafar. He wanted Palpatine to suffer. To die slowly. Choking him seemed like a pretty good idea... "In the name of the Galactic Republic," His eyes met Palpatine's beyond the harsh, blue blade of his lightsaber. "I place you under arrest, Chancellor."

The Chancellor's hands went to his neck as he tried to release the force holding him. He gagged and choked trying to draw air into his lungs.

Anakin swallowed any emotions he was feeling, and made a quick slicing motion, with his lightsaber. Grim satisfaction flooded through him, as he watched Palpatine's head fall to the floor and roll away. He deactivated his lightsaber, and placed it back at his belt.

"Serves you right," he muttered darkly, "for messing with me." Then, he pulled his hood back up, and excited the room again without even so much as a glance at the Redrobes. He had to go check on Obi-Wan now.

Hospital

Maser Yoda bowed his head in hopeful prayer. They had taken Obi-Wan into surgery just before he got there and that is where he still was. A medical droid came out and reported his updated condition every 30 minutes.

"Master..." Anakin honestly hadn't expected Yoda to be there. "Is he alright?" Yoda raised his head and then shook it slowly.

"Look good things do not for Obi-Wan," he answered sadly. Anakin frowned, and glanced around for a moment, as though expecting something to magically appear and sooth him. Nothing did. He couldn't even feel Padmé anymore...

"I killed Palpatine," he admitted softly. Just loudly enough for Yoda to hear, no one else. "I killed him for what he did."

"Sooner or later you would have, I knew."

"He deserved it," he scowled at the wall. "The Republic and Order will both regain balance soon, now that he's out of power." Yoda nodded in agreement. A medical droid emerged from behind the surgery doors.

"Master Yoda... General Kenobi's condition remains unstable. He has lost much blood, poison seems to be in it as well," the droid told him before disappearing behind the doors again.

"Determined Palpatine was to be rid of us this time it seems," Yoda sighed. Anakin was

silent for a moment, before turning and going after the droid.

"May I see him?" He requested, upon catching up. He would save Obi-Wan. He wouldn't lose anyone else.

"General Kenobi is in surgery right now, Master Anakin. But yes, once he is out you may see him," the droid answered.

"But, I might be able to help!" Anakin insisted. "Please, I promise I won't get in the way." The droid paused.

"How would you be able to help?" It questioned.

"It's hard to explain," he muttered, waving impatiently in the air. "But, just trust me, and let me try?" The droid studied him for a moment.

"It is against my better judgment, but follow me if you please," it answered.

"Thank you..." He breathed, obeying.

When they got into the room, he just settled down into the corner, in the floor, and started to meditate. He didn't have the faintest idea what he was doing...but, he hoped to find Qui-Gon, in the Force, and get assistance from him. Pain... there was so much of it. It clouded his judgment, leaving him dazed and confused.

Anakin physically winced, when he felt that. And...he decided to skip Qui-Gon altogether, and just went straight to psychological persuasion.

'Master', he spoke directly into Obi-Wan's mind. 'Please don't give up. I killed Palpatine for you. So, you can't just die on me.'

'Ana..kin...?' Came the hesitated reply.

'Yes.' He felt a surge of hope. 'Yes, Master, it's me.'

'It's so dark...it hurts...I'm tired...so tired...'

'Master, no. You can't do this to me. I won't lose you like I lost Padmé.' He stated firmly.

'I won't, you hear me? Master Qui-Gon wouldn't want you to give up.'

'Qui...Gon...I feel him...it's been so long...since we talked...'

'Exactly. So, you can't give up, alright? The Republic needs you. The Order needs you. I

need you!'

'...you? You need me?...'

Anakin made a frustrated noise. He hated admitting he was wrong...or in trouble, or anything like that.

'Maybe...yes…'

'...Anakin...' Then the feeling of his presence disappeared.

'Master?' He physically blinked awake, and glanced at the man on the operating table. "Obi-Wan?" He wondered tentatively.

"Master Anakin, I need to ask you to leave," the medical droid that had brought him there told him.

"Is he going to be okay?" Anakin demanded to know, refusing to move until he did.

"I cannot be sure, but he has stabled some," the droid answered.

"Good..." He murmured, relaxing a little, and getting up to follow him out. Maybe he hadn't failed this time... Yoda looked up as he returned.

"A little stronger his energy seems," he said.

"Yeah..." Anakin agreed running his fingers through his now sweat damp hair. "Hopefully, that'll continue."

"Tired you are. Go home and rest, you should."

"No." Anakin shook his head, sinking down into a chair. "Not until he's awake. I won't just sit by and lose him, like I lost Padmé." Maybe he could even keep working from out here...

"That you should not. Rest you should, young Skywalker," Yoda told him.

"Yes, Master..." He hated how these Jedi always seemed to know what he was thinking...
"Power your emotions are, Anakin, work you should on trying to hide them when the time is right," Yoda mused.

"Hiding them has always been a problem of mine."

"Good the time is now to work on that then."

"Very well, Master." He agreed, closing his eyes again. Seemed like as good a way as

any, to start trying...

The next morning, Anakin was drawn out of his trance like state when he felt Luke and another energy approaching. He blinked at them, raising a curious eyebrow. What was Luke doing here? Larisa smiled softly, her cat ears twitching taking in every sound.

"Master Anakin, Master Yoda called and informed me of the situation. It was only then I understood why Luke had been crying and asking for Master Obi-Wan," she explained.

"Oh..." Anakin nodded his understanding, concentrating for a moment, before smiling softly. "He's doing better now."

"That is good to hear," she smiled. Luke reached for Anakin.

"Da..." He reached up, and pulled the child down into his lap.

"I'm sorry about just dumping him on you," he informed Larisa softly. "I had some...urgent business to attend to, obviously."

"I do not mind, Master Anakin. Luke is an angel," she answered, her tail swaying from side to side gently.

"Well...thank you, then." He nodded tiredly, slumping a bit further down.

"You look very tired Master Anakin maybe you should get some sleep."

"No." He groaned again. Didn't anyone understand how important this was? "Not until I know that Obi-Wan's going to be just fine."

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you. What if I stayed here then, you could sleep here

and I would wake you if there is any news," Larisa offered.

"No," he repeated, shaking his head. "I'll know. Then I'll sleep."

"Alright," she sighed in defeat. "But please do not run yourself ragged. I'm not sure Luke could take having both his fathers down. Come, Luke, you didn't sleep much last night and need to take a nap." Luke nodded in understanding and hugged Anakin around his neck before raising his arms to Larisa. She scooped him up and licked the side of his face causing him to giggle.

"Take care of yourself, Master Anakin."

"Right," he mumbled, his gaze slightly distant, as he started concentrating again.

The medical droid from the night before approached he and Master Yoda again. Like Anakin, Yoda had been meditating but his eyes opened when he felt the druid's presence. Anakin hadn't had a chance to get too comfy yet, and also glanced up at the droid.

"Obi-Wan?" He wondered, now sounding the least bit anxious.

"Master Kenobi has been moved out of surgery to a room. He is stable for now but it seems he slipped into a coma during the surgery. We have been cleansing his blood to remove the poison," the droid reported. Anakin cursed. Loudly. Loudly and violently. Well, that was just great.

"Where is he now?" He wondered. He was exhausted, he was frustrated, and Obi-Wan was working vigilantly on his last nerve.

"His room is number 877, it is on the second floor," the droid answered.

"Calm you should be," Yoda cautioned as he slipped from his seat.

"I am calm," Anakin muttered, nodding to the droid, and heading for the elevator. "I've never been calmer in my whole," he uttered a rather rude term, "life." This was a blatant lie, but he honestly could have cared less. Obi-Wan wasn't doing this to him. Yoda walked with him saying nothing. When they got to the room, Obi-Wan almost looked like a mummy there were so many bandages wrapped around him.

"Master!" Anakin snapped at him testily, probably a lot louder than he needed to. "Wake up! Right now!"

"Help your yelling will not."

"He's not doing this to me," Anakin stated. "You hear me, Obi-Wan? You're not doing this to me! You're not leaving me, like Padmé and my mother did! You're not!" He didn't have the energy to do this through the Force...

'Anakin.' It was a strong voice, not one that belonged to Yoda or Obi-Wan. Anakin could have started crying, from it all, but he just summoned some of his energy to reply.

'Yes?'

'My padawan needs to rest as do you.'

'Master Qui-Gon...Please...don't let him leave me, please?'

'I will not Anakin. But you must get some rest. You will be no help to him or your son if you collapse from exhaustion.'

'Yes...you're right...I know you're right…' He agreed, sinking slowly down to the floor. 'I'm sorry...for being belligerent to him. And for yelling…'

'You do not have to tell me. Sleep now, young one.'

Anakin didn't bother to nod, he just closed his eyes against the side of Obi-Wan's bed, and fell asleep right there. Yoda smiled and used the force to move him to where he had laid out a blanket and pillow on the floor. It wasn't much but it would do. He covered Anakin with another blanket before sitting in the chair, where he to slipped into something between a meditative state and sleep.

Anakin drifted in and out of sleep, for the next couple of days. He kept hoping that Obi-Wan would be awake, next time he regained consciousness, but he never was. He hadn't known that what he'd been doing would be so exhausting...It was. Had he even been doing it right? Would that have been what Palpatine would have had him do with Padmé? Probably not. But...well, it had sort of worked with Obi-Wan...Kind of...

'You are doing well, Anakin' Qui-Gon commented on the third night. 'Your master would be very proud.'

'Did I do it correctly, Master Qui-Gon?' He wondered absently, as he passed back off to sleep. 'Did I do the right thing, by trying to reach him?'

'He would be lost without you. These dark places are easy to lose your way in, but you have kept a path of light open.'

'Good,' he mumbled to his master's master. 'Because I needhim. I need him to stay with me. Even just a little longer...I'm not ready to lose him yet.'

'Why is that, Anakin? You were so determined to convince yourself that you needed no one, but now here you are.'

'Because he's my friend.' The phrase came automatic, his mind completely honest, due to sleep. He didn't have the energy to lie yet. 'And...because I don't want to lose anyone else. I need him.' He could feel Qui-Gon smile, and his hand on his shoulder.

'Sleep now, Anakin, actually sleep.'

'Yes, Master Qui-Gon,' He agreed, actually drifting off. Qui-Gon Jinn was the only man that Obi-Wan Kenobi would listen to, and obey, without fail. He trusted him to bring his master back to the land of the living safely.

Yoda smiled, it felt good to feel Qui-Gon once again. He to trusted Qui-Gon to bring Obi-Wan back. Each day he could feel Obi-Wan getting stronger and he knew it was because of Anakin and Qui-Gon's continuous presence.

Anakin woke up and actually...woke up a little after a week, after he'd fallen asleep. Obi-Wan didn't. But, now that he had energy left, he got back to work. He didn't try to convince Obi-Wan to wake up...just talked to him, and made sure he was still there.

'How is Luke?' Obi-Wan asked. 'And yourself?' Always the concerned one.

'Tired, but I'm fine.' Anakin's body smiled slightly at Obi-Wan's responsible tone. 'Luke's with his nurse...still.'

'You should go and see him. He has never been away from either of us this long.'

'I know.' He confirmed slowly. 'But, I don't want to leave you. He knows I'm alright.'

'I appreciate your concern but I will not get lost in a few hours. Qui-Gon will make sure of that. Go see him, Anakin.'

'Yes, Master.' He agreed with a sigh. 'I'll go later today.'

'Now.' There was no room for argument in his voice.

'Master…' He let a certain amount of poutiness into his tone. 'You're important too!'

'I'm glad you feel that way, Anakin, but Luke is more important, yourself and he come before me. Now go.' Anakin let out a frustrated noise.

'Fine.' He bit out impatiently. 'I'll be back later.' Then, with that, he stood wordlessly, and stalked out of the room, completely ignoring Yoda, and the droids as he went. Yoda looked back at Obi-Wan and actually chuckled.

'Before yourself your loved ones always are.'

Anakin knocked impatiently, on Larissa's door, when he arrived back at the apartment complex. He wanted to see his son, make sure everything was alright, and get back to Obi-Wan! not stand in the hallway, banging like a hammer on this woman's door! The door opened revealing the feline woman.

"Master Anakin... I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting you, Luke will be most pleased," she said softly opening the door so he could enter.

"Yeah..." He muttered, slightly calmer. "I needed to check on him. But, I can't stay too long. Thank you for taking such good care of him."

"It is my pleasure. Come, we were just playing in the living room," she told him leading the way. Luke looked up from his blocks he had been building with, a excited smile coming to his face when he saw Anakin. Slowly he brought himself to his feet and took wobbly steps towards him. "He has become quite the little walker," Larisa commented with a smile.

Anakin grinned at the little blonde before him, and with a soft whirr of electro gears, knelt down to his height, ruffling his hair gently.

"Obi-Wan says he misses you," Anakin informed Luke, even though that wasn't entirely true. He knew his former teacher did, though.

"Ke!" Luke exclaimed understanding Obi-Wan's name. Anakin could feel the questioned in his mind wanting to be asked, but not yet able to.

"He's not awake yet," he admitted softly, just loudly enough for Luke to hear him. "But, he will. He'll be just fine." Luke smiled at that knowledge and sank against Anakin's knees, propping himself up.

"Da...mi Ke," he said. 'Dad misses Kenobi.'

"Yeah." He confirmed, his smile softened a little. "Yeah...I do..." Luke wrapped his arms about him as far as they could go.

'I miss you.'

"I'm sorry, kid..." Anakin murmured, pressing a soft kiss to the top of his head, and moving to pick him up. "Hey...how'd you like to go see Obi-Wan?" He wondered, smiling a bit more again. "I bet he'd like that." Luke smiled grew even bigger and he nodded.

"Larisa," Anakin called to her, as he adjusted Luke's weight, to pick him up completely. "I'm taking him back with me. But...he might be back tonight." Larisa bowed her head.

"I will be here, Master Anakin."

"Thanks," he murmured, before setting back out for the hospital. Maybe Obi-Wan would wake up...if not for him, then for Luke...maybe.

When they returned a medical droid was in the room checking the stats and readings.

"How's he doing?" Anakin wondered, moving over to a chair, so that he could let Luke actually sit down.

"Master Kenobi seems to just be sleeping now. No longer is his mind in a comatose state," the droid answered.

"Good." A relieved smile broke out across his face. He hadn't realized how much he needed Obi-Wan, until this had happened...until he'd almost lost him...

"Ke..." Luke called reaching out for him. Obi-Wan's eyes moved behind his closed lids but they did not open.

"If you want to talk to him," Anakin whispered in his son's ear. "I can teach you how." Luke looked up at him questioningly and then back at Obi-Wan before he nodded.

"Alright..." His father murmured, still softly, as the droid left. He let out a deep breath, and placed his fingers on Luke's temples. "Just relax..." He figured he could use himself as a...liaison of sorts, and connect them. Luke closed his eyes leaning back against Anakin's chest waiting for the next instruction.

'Master…' Anakin spoke up, once he found Obi-Wan, in the Force. 'Someone wants to talk to you.'

'Anakin? You're back so soon. Who?'

"Alright..." Anakin nodded slowly, speaking aloud, to Luke, again. "Go for it."

'Papa?' Luke questioned. Anakin could feel relief and happiness through their link.

'Luke,' Obi-Wan sighed.

'I miss you, Papa. When will you be back with me and Daddy?'

'Soon my lightling. Soon,' Obi-Wan promised.

'You're feeling better, Master.' Anakin commented, his smile twitching slightly wider. 'I can feel it.'

'Your light has brought me back. Thank you, Anakin.'

'Hey, don't feel too special.' Anakin warned him dryly. 'I'm being completely selfish. You're not allowed to leave me yet.' He could feel Obi-Wan smile before his presence faded as he slipped further into sleep. Luke made a small noise of compliant before opening his eyes looking up at Anakin.

"Dada?" He asked, calling him something other than 'Da' for the first time.Anakin

opened his own eyes back up, and he glanced down at his confused son.

"He's just sleeping." He promised, just assuming that was what he'd needed. He felt Luke sigh and then curl into him, absorbing the warmth his chest offered. It wasn't long before he to was asleep, a small smile gracing his face.

Anakin snorted at them both, before shifting Luke into a more secure hold, and slipping into a regular meditation. He hadn't had time to think alone since Luke's birthday...it had been a while.

To be continued...

Next: Seek and Find