Sneaking out was much easier, Anakin realized, when he didn't feel guilty and didn't have to shield his emotions so strongly. He was able to achieve a kind of mental invisibility that allowed him to pass through the Temple unseen. Down in the lower levels, his cloak and the shadows did the rest.

Finding the bar again was a little difficult, but an hour or so of slipping in and out of the shadows brought him back – and just in time, too. The purple liquor took the edge off his anger until he spotted the Twi'lek dealer in a darkened corner.

"Back already?" the Twi'lek asked as Anakin approached. Not in any sort of mood for small talk, Anakin impatiently slammed his credit chit down on the table and slid into the booth.

"How do I get it to last longer?" he asked, beginning to feel slightly desperate as the dam holding his emotions at bay began to crack. He couldn't be coming down here every night. As easy as it was to come and go, the more he did it, the more chance there was that he would be caught. Besides, the temptation to lose himself in this world was too great. He had no self-control down here.

The Twi'lek eyed him, and withdrew a vial from the depths of his robes. "Don't dilute it, and you'll only need half."

Icy fingers of dread clenched Anakin's stomach, and he gulped down his drink in an attempt to melt them. That hadn't been the answer he'd wanted, but he didn't know what other answer he could have expected.

In the end, though, it didn't matter. Anakin would do what he needed to do.

--

The continuing newfound quiet of Obi-Wan's life with Anakin was beginning to unnerve the Jedi Master. Although all of Anakin's instructors had been coming to him with glowing praise for his Padawan over the course of recent weeks, Obi-Wan was having trouble accepting Anakin's sudden transformation at face value.

Truth be told, he missed the controlled chaos. He missed bantering with Anakin, missed his apprentice's unwavering ability to question everything told him. This new Anakin barely spoke, spent most of his time studying or meditating. And although Obi-Wan told himself he should be pleased, he couldn't help feeling that something wasn't right.

The sound of Anakin's door opening made Obi-Wan snap his head up. So rarely did Anakin venture from his room lately that any sight of him made Obi-Wan feel a slight thrill. "Anakin," he said softly, wishing he could find words for what he needed to say.

Anakin turned and bowed slightly. "Master?" he asked, sniffing and running the arm of his robe across his face. Obi-Wan wondered distantly how long Anakin had been fighting that cold – it seemed like…

Well, about the same amount of time as he'd been the perfect Padawan, really. Obi-Wan knew that there was probably a connection, but he couldn't for the life of him put the two things together. "Anakin, come sit down," Obi-Wan instructed, patting the empty space beside him on the couch.

Anakin seemed to hesitate, but dutifully did as he was told and settled gracefully next to Obi-Wan. Seeing him this close, Obi-Wan couldn't help but notice the redness ringing Anakin's eyes, the puffiness of his cheeks. If Obi-Wan didn't know any better, he could swear his apprentice had been crying.

"Whatever is troubling you, Anakin, you know you can come to me," he assured the young man, putting a hand on Anakin's shoulder and feeling him tense under his touch.

"Nothing is troubling me, Master," Anakin replied calmly, flatly. Obi-Wan knew he was lying, but could not sense as much. In fact, he could hardly sense anything at all from Anakin. His Padawan had obviously been working on his shielding, a fact that made Obi-Wan feel a pang of grief.

Didn't Anakin trust him anymore?

Obi-Wan took a deep breath. "I know you've been working very hard lately," he started, and felt Anakin shift uncomfortably under his touch. "But you must be careful not to push yourself too hard. I am proud of you, no matter what."

Anakin looked at him inquisitively. "I… I'm not pushing myself too hard, Master. I've just… figured out how to do it right, that's all." His voice wavered slightly, but Obi-Wan was impressed at the speed with which Anakin composed himself.

No, "impressed" wasn't the word. While it might have been in time past, now Obi-Wan was disturbed by the speed with which Anakin composed himself.

Brushing off Obi-Wan's hand, Anakin stood. "Now if you'll excuse me, Master, I really have to go study." With another sniff and another face-wipe, Anakin returned to his room before Obi-Wan could respond.

Obi-Wan stared after his Padawan, wishing, certainly not for the first time, that he could talk to Qui-Gon again.

--

Anakin couldn't believe how close he'd come to panicking out there. What did Obi-Wan know? He'd been working so hard on his shielding, and yet Obi-Wan had seemed to see right through him. So why hadn't his master said anything?

Anakin felt lightheaded as he realized exactly why Obi-Wan hadn't said anything. He was going to go to the Council. He was going to expose the true reason Anakin had been excelling in his classes, and the Council was going to use it as their excuse to be rid of him.

Taking a deep breath in an attempt to center himself, Anakin struggled to remind himself that these feelings were just side-effects, that he couldn't possibly be thinking straight. And yet… these thoughts had such a ring of truth to them.

Glancing at his bedside table, Anakin decided he didn't care if he was doubling the dosage. He needed the guilt to go away. Waving the drawer open with the Force, Anakin set about calling one of the vials he had stashed there to him.

Nothing came.

Anakin's breath caught in his chest, and nausea poured over him. No, no. He just wasn't focusing enough, that was all. He walked over to the drawer and peered in. Nothing. The vials that remained were all empty. Surely he couldn't have taken all of it already. Surely this was some mistake.

Reaching out with the Force, Anakin struggled to figure out what had happened. Only one answer sprang to his mind, try as he might to wish it away.

Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan had invaded his privacy, had discovered his secret, and had said nothing.

A rage so deep it burned every fiber of his being filled him, and with a guttural cry, Anakin dropped to his knees. His life was falling down around him, and it was all Obi-Wan's fault.